I move that leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Road Traffic Act, 1933.
Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill, 1961 —First Stage.
The Chair is anxious to know at this juncture is the motion being opposed?
Yes.
I deplore the decision of the Government to oppose this Bill, first on the grounds of common courtesy. The Front Bench of this Party rarely resorts to the device of proposing a Private Bill. I think when they do the ordinary courtesy of the House should be extended for the purpose of having the Bill printed so that it can be debated on its merits on the Second Stage. In my opinion, it is an improper use of the Government's power to prevent a Bill of this kind being printed by opposing it at this Stage.
The reason for this Bill is perfectly simple. Before we left office in 1957, the Road Traffic Bill was in draft. It is now four years or more since that time and, throughout that whole period, repeated promises have been given in this House to provide a Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill. None was forthcoming. Several fatal accidents have resulted from people colliding with the backs of large lorries standing unlighted on the side of public roads. That, in our opinion, constituted something amounting to an emergency, with the result that we put down this Bill to provide shortly that, pending the presentation to the House of a comprehensive road traffic code, it would be made illegal to leave lorries parked on roads in those circumstances without making adequate provision for their adequate illumination.
One of the first results of our putting this Bill on the Order Paper was that the Government presented a comprehensive Bill to deal with road traffic which the House will have to consider. I put it to the House that it is a very extensive Bill which will take a considerable time to consider in the various Stages through which it will have to pass. In the meantime, existing abuses can continue, whereas the Bill we have submitted is a one-section Bill which could have been passed expeditiously through the House thus abating the existing abuses.
Therefore, on two grounds I deplore the Government's decision and I propose, if possible, to bring the matter to the issue of a Division. First, I think it would have been common courtesy on the part of the Leader of the House to signify the Government's readiness to have the Bill printed and considered on its merits, whatever those merits might be, at a suitable date to be arranged between us. Secondly, I consider it wrong to refuse us the facility of the procedure of the House to put through a Bill quickly which would abate what is, in our judgement, a very present and acute abuse which requires urgent abatement. I would even now suggest to the Taoiseach that he might reconsider the Government's decision and signify their willingness to allow this matter to proceed to Second Stage.
I assure Deputy Dillon that no discourtesy is intended to him or to the other Deputies whose names are attached to this Bill by reason of our opposition to the First Reading. I do not think, however, that the respect due to the Deputies who signed the Bill should lead us into doing something which, on the face of it, is very foolish. Indeed, I must say I expected that the Bill would not have been proceeded with in the circumstances, where a comprehensive Bill dealing with road traffic matters has been circulated and is available for discussion by the House.
I am sure every sensible Deputy will agree it is desirable to have the whole of the road traffic code incorporated in one measure. The Bill which the Government has circulated contains proposals for dealing with the particular matter to which the Private Members' Bill was directed. Indeed, it is our assumption that every Deputy recognises the necessity for reviewing our road traffic legislation and, as far as we are concerned, the Bill which is submitted is not a contentious measure in any way. We hope that all members of the House will co-operate with the Government in trying to make it a satisfactory measure in every respect. Any amendments which Deputies opposite may propose, which appear likely to improve the Bill, will be fully considered and accepted. We and the House would look foolish, and the business of the House would be upset, by having two Road Traffic Bills before us at the same time. That is why we are opposing the First Reading.
Question put.
The Dáil divided: Tá, 35; Níl, 61.
Tá
- Belton, Jack.
- Blowick, Joseph.
- Burke, James.
- Casey, Seán.
- Coburn, George.
- Corish, Brendan.
- Cosgrave, Liam.
- Crotty, Patrick J.
- Dillon, James M.
- Esmonde, Sir Anthony C.
- Fagan, Charles.
- Finucane, Patrick.
- Giles, Patrick.
- Hogan, Bridget.
- Jones, Denis F.
- Kenny, Henry.
- Kyne, Thomas A.
- Lynch, Thaddeus.
- McAuliffe, Patrick.
- McGilligan, Patrick.
- McMenamin, Daniel.
- Manley, Timothy.
- Mulcahy, Richard.
- Murphy, Michael P.
- Norton, William.
- O'Donnell, Patrick.
- O'Higgins, Michael J.
- O'Reilly, Patrick.
- O'Sullivan, Denis J.
- Palmer, Patrick W.
- Reynolds, Mary.
- Rooney, Eamonn.
- Ryan, Richie.
- Sherwin, Frank.
- Tierney, Patrick.
Níl
- Aiken, Frank.
- Bartley, Gerald.
- Blaney, Neil T.
- Boland, Gerald.
- Boland, Kevin.
- Booth, Lionel.
- Brady, Philip A.
- Brady, Seán.
- Brennan, Joseph.
- Brennan, Paudge.
- Breslin, Cormac.
- Browne, Seán.
- Calleary, Phelim A.
- Carty, Michael.
- Childers, Erskine.
- Clohessy, Patrick.
- Collins, James J.
- Crowley, Honor M.
- Cummins, Patrick J.
- Cunningham, Liam.
- Davern, Mick.
- de Valera, Vivion.
- Doherty, Seán.
- Donegan, Batt.
- Dooley, Patrick.
- Moher, John W.
- Moloney, Daniel J.
- Mooney, Patrick.
- Ó Briain, Donnchadh.
- Ormonde, John.
- O'Toole, James.
- Egan, Kieran P.
- Egan, Nicholas.
- Flanagan, Seán.
- Geoghegan, John.
- Gibbons, James.
- Gogan, Richard P.
- Haughey, Charles.
- Healy, Augustine A.
- Hillery, Patrick J.
- Hilliard, Michael.
- Humphreys, Francis.
- Johnston, Henry M.
- Kennedy, Michael J.
- Killilea, Mark.
- Kitt, Michael F.
- Lemass, Noel T.
- Lemass, Seán.
- Lynch, Celia.
- Lynch, Jack.
- MacCarthy, Seán.
- McEllistrim, Thomas.
- MacEntee, Seán.
- Maher, Peadar.
- Medlar, Martin.
- Millar, Anthony G.
- Ryan, James.
- Ryan, Mary B.
- Smith, Patrick.
- Teehan, Patrick.
- Traynor, Oscar.
Tellers: Tá, Deputies O'Sullivan and Crotty; Níl, Deputies Ó Briain and Mrs. Lynch.
Question declared lost.
The Dáil adjourned at 4.55 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 15th February, 1961.