New measures are planned to trap speeding motorists.

The Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar is examining legislation for number plate recognition cameras and average speed detection systems.

The ANPR system is already widely used in the UK and can also be used to track down cars without tax and insurance.

The Sunday Times reports that drivers on motorways in particular will be targeted by the new system, with cameras placed above tollbooths and on overhead gantries.

The technology calculates the time it takes to travel between two cameras which take time stamped images and if it's too fast, the driver faces speeding penalties.