The recently appointed head of the Road Safety Authority today defended himself amid calls for his resignation.
Gay Byrne has come under pressure after 12 people died on the State's roads in just 48 hours earlier this week.
One of those calling for the former broadcaster to step down was the employer of two of the young Co Cork people killed in a crash Co Laois on Monday.
Mr Byrne today insisted the newly established RSA was making progress in the fight to cut road deaths.
"We are not even legally in existence yet, we are not vested as they say yet but already we have done a fair bit of work and we have a dedicated staff," he said.
"I would remind people that as from now, today, for example, random breath testing is part of the legislation, it is in and it's up to the Garda Síochána now to enforce that as from today."
Declan Corbett of the Corbett Court Hotel in Co Cork called on Mr Byrne to resign his post. "A job like that should be given to somebody in rural Ireland, somebody like Sean Og O hAilpin that the young people of Ireland will look up to," he said. "I'm asking Gay Byrne to do the decent thing and resign."
Dún Laoghaire TD and Ógra Fianna Fáil chairman Barry Andrews today echoed Mr Corbett's comments. He said recognisable music and sports stars would be better placed to influence young people.
Mr Andrews proposed each county should have a road safety ambassador to engage with young people rather than lecture them. "The ambassadors would visit schools and clubs to meet young people planning to learn to drive and those who have just recently started driving," he said.
Three different ministers - Minister for Transport Martin Cullen, Minister for Justice Michael McDowell and Minister for the Environment Dick Roche - defended Mr Byrne in separate interviews this week.
Mr Roche described the calls for his resignation as "nonsense".