asked the Minister for Local Government the number of fatal accidents on the roads during 1968; and if the Government intend to promote a special campaign with a view to reducing the number of such accidents.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Road Accidents.
14.
Provisional figures issued recently by the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána show that during 1968 there were 417 fatal accidents, which resulted in 448 deaths.
I shall shortly be speaking on my Department's Estimates for this year and on that occasion I shall deal with the road accident problem. It is no harm to say at this stage that my Department is conducting a continuous campaign on all fronts to contain and reduce the incidence of road accidents. At the same time I must again stress that while we can and will utilise every possible measure to achieve greater safety on the roads, the final responsibility rests with the road user in the observance of traffic laws and in the exercise of consideration for other road users.
Would the Minister not agree that, if his Department is carrying out a continuous campaign on all fronts, his campaign up to the present has been a failure?
No.
If the death rate has increased by almost 50 per cent in the last four years, surely the Minister will have to agree that the campaign so far has been a failure. Is the Minister not prepared to do anything further to prevent this carnage which is taking place on our roads?
We cannot discuss the matter of road traffic at Question Time.
There are 500 healthy people alive today who will be in their graves this time 12 months due to the carnage on the roads, and nothing is being done by the Government about it.
Everything possible is being done. The rate of increase of accidents is related to the rate of increase of vehicles on the road and, as I pointed out, no matter what the Government or any other agency may do, the reduction in the rate of accidents depends on the observance by road users of the traffic regulations and the exercise of consideration for others. It is only in that way that a real reduction can be made.
Surely the Minister——
This is developing into a debate.
The Minister cannot stop people killing themselves.
If road users can kill or maim people and then use political influence and get away scotfree, they are not going to bother their heads.
Deputy L'Estrange might discuss that matter with Deputy Lindsay.
Would the Minister supply warnings at county boundaries?