19 people lost their lives on the roads between start of December and New Year

The state's target to reduce road fatalities over the festive season was missed.

Between the start of December and New Year, 19 people lost their lives on the roads here- that's more than the average of 17 over the previous five years.

However the Road Safety Authority says that 133 people died on Irish roads last year making it the safest year on the roads since records began in 1959.