There are only three speed cameras in operation at any one time across the State, it was revealed today.
In addition there are only 20 speed camera boxes in the State, all of which are located in counties Dublin, Louth and Meath.
The statistic will fuel allegations that the Gardaí are too under-resourced to enforce the penalty points system.
Fine Gael spokesman on transport, Mr Denis Naughten, described the situation as "shocking".
"It proves that the Government's promise to extend speed cameras across the country was another empty commitment to the Irish public," he said. "This is a typical example of the Government's failure to address the ongoing carnage in our roads."
However, a Garda spokeswoman confirmed that as well as the three speed cameras, there were a number of other speed detection devices in operation.
These include laser and radar surveillance equipment as well as in-car and motorcycle detection devices.
There are also the mobile speed detection units or Gatso vans which will be familiar to Irish motorists.
Most speeding fines are issued by mobile garda units and experts believe the fixed speed cameras act more as a deterrent than as a detection.
Some €4 million has been collected in speeding fines by the unmarked Gatso vans in the Louth/Meath division over the last five years.
A spokesman for the Department of Transport said the fixed speed cameras had only been deployed since April 2000 and were still being run on a pilot basis.
He said a inter-departmental working group on road safety have commissioned a report into the effectiveness of speed cameras from a consultancy firm in Australia.
A decision on whether to extend speed cameras nationwide will based on recommendations in this report, he added.
