The Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen, has said he was surprised by the decision of the Chairman of the National Safety Council, Eddie Shaw, to resign.
Mr Shaw said that he had to take responsibility for failing to convince the Government to invest in its own policies on road safety.
But speaking on RTÉ radio, Mr Cullen said he accepted Mr Shaw's points, and that the policy would have to be implemented.
Labour's Roisín Shortall described Mr Shaw's resignation as a damning vote of no confidence in the Minister for Transport.
Mr Cullen also announced new road safety legislation.
The new system will allow up to 32 more penalty points for road offences and will be in place by 1 April, according to the Minister.
Mr Cullen said the new Safety Authority would have a clearer picture and would have a clear mandate to direct policy.
He said the new authority would bring existing agencies such as the National Roads Authority, the National Safety Council, as well as local authorities and the department under one group.
Mr Cullen also said the gardaí would be substantially increasing their numbers under the new structure and he said there was a need for culture change.
'Irish people needed to understand that we all have a collective responsibility to other people driving on the roads as well as ourselves, and when people believe they will be punished for road safety offences, behaviour would change,' he said.
