Road Traffic Accidents.

Deputy Martin Ferris

The ongoing scale of death as a result of road traffic accidents in rural Ireland was again brought home to us in the past week with a number of tragedies around the country. Hardly a week goes by in rural Ireland in which there is not a fatal accident on a secondary road. While there are many factors involved, I raise this matter to draw attention to the need for clear road markings and signage as I am aware of a number of cases in which these have been factors in road deaths.

I wish to read into the record a letter I received from a family bereaved as a result of such a tragedy:

On the 22/4/06 our daughter Eileen Keane and boyfriend Trevor Chute were in a fatal accident at Ardoughter, Ballyduff, Tralee, Co. Kerry. There was no signage or road markings at this junction.

This accident was investigated by . . . PSV inspector at Tralee Garda Station and [an official from] "Kerry Co Council". The inquest was to be heard on 20 October 2006 but was cancelled while a file was sent to the DPP. [There was another vehicle involved.]

The night before Eileen's inquest our liaison officer [at Tralee Garda Station] explained procedures to take place on the 2 Feb 2007. We were led to believe that the investigating officer . . . would be present. His findings nor [those of the Kerry County Council official] who both witnessed the scene were not read out.

[The Kerry County Council official] was at the scene at approx 10.40 pm. The Garda never informed us of our tragic loss which took place at approx 9.40 pm. We got a text from our daughter Marion that there had been a crash. This was confirmed at 11.00 pm. [when we contacted Listowel Garda Station and found out that our daughter Eileen was dead along with her boyfriend Trevor].

Some period after the inquest and tragic loss of Eileen we went looking for answers. We were seeking transparency and accountability. We have wrote numerous correspondence to Kerry Co Council [and] each time our requests have been refused. We have also written to other Government bodies that refer us back to Kerry Co. Council (still no answers).

The parents have aired some of their views, and those of their family, on local radio and in the local papers. They said it is like being in a maze with no way out and that they are still looking for closure and would be grateful for any little help on this long, lonely and never-ending road. The letter was signed by Richard and Kay Keane.

A number of years ago I dealt with a similar case in County Mayo. Again, it took years before there was a resolution, or the family in question got justice. It is vital that road signage and markings are laid out clearly, especially on the more dangerous roads where vehicles are likely to travel at higher speeds, despite the roads on which they are travelling, and where there is a more than the usual number of hazards. It is also important that the relevant authorities take responsibility for the maintenance of roads and road markings as, unfortunately, this has been a matter of dispute in certain cases.

People who have lost loved ones in tragic circumstances, such as the parents who wrote the above letter, are entitled to answers. Unfortunately, because of bureaucracy and what would appear to be non-activity by the local authorities and Government bodies, there has been a passing of the buck from one to the other. People need answers and they are entitled to them. They have lost loved ones and they continue to grieve.

The father and mother who wrote the letter to which I have referred say they are looking for closure on this long, lonely and never-ending road and that it is like being in a maze. Their situation can be replicated throughout the country where people have lost loved ones on lonely country roads on which there is a lack of signage and proper markings for which nobody is prepared to take responsibility.

Deputy Noel Ahern

I thank Deputy Ferris for raising the matter. There has been a 20% drop in deaths on Irish roads since the launch of the Government's first road safety strategy in 1998. This has been achieved despite a 52% increase in the number of vehicles on our roads. Over the past year we have seen a distinct improvement in our road safety performance with 2007 resulting in the lowest number of road deaths in 40 years.

My reply to the Deputy is very much from a strategic point of view and I accept that sometimes quoting statistics is of very little value to people like the Deputy's constituents who have had a tragedy in the family. One death is one too many. The reply may not give comfort to the family about which the Deputy spoke.

The collective goal of all of those involved in the promotion and delivery of road safety policies is to ensure that the improvements achieved in recent years are sustained and built on. Significant initiatives realised over the lifetime of the two previous road safety strategies and, in particular, over the last two years, include the extension of penalty points and fixed charge systems, stronger legislation, mandatory roadside alcohol testing, increased levels of enforcement and, in September 2006, the establishment of the Road Safety Authority.

The road safety strategy for the period 2007-12 was launched last October and sets out the direction on road safety for the next five years. It is the outcome of detailed research and consultation with stakeholders by the Road Safety Authority. The purpose of the strategy is to reduce death and injuries on all Irish roads and in doing so, bring us into line with best practice countries. It will consolidate the reductions in deaths in 2006 and 2007.

It is estimated that in the lifetime of this strategy, approximately 400 lives will be saved and Ireland will move closer to becoming one of the best practice countries in the EU.

The development of the strategy by the Road Safety Authority, following a comprehensive public consultation process, has the support of the public. A total of 126 actions are outlined and the focus is on delivery and outcomes with built-in targets and accountability. The strategy addresses and puts in place actions to deliver many of the items which people have called for in recent years and which have a proven road safety dividend. Indeed, many of the actions set out in the strategy are either directly or indirectly focused on improving road safety on rural roads. I heard what the Deputy said about road signs and road markings.

The core objective of the strategy is to reduce road deaths to no greater than 60 fatalities per million population by the end of 2012, with demonstrable downward reductions in each year of the strategy. One of the actions set out in the strategy to reduce road deaths relates to changes in our driver licensing system. The introduction of a new learner permit on 30 October for all new first time licence applicants as well as those renewing their provisional licence after that date is a key building stone in the introduction of a graduated licensing system for Ireland. The aim of the system is to reduce the number of collisions, deaths and injuries among novice drivers during the learning process, particularly the high risk 17 to 24 year old age group.

The strategy also identifies the need to legislate for and introduce a reduction in the legal blood alcohol level for drivers. The Government has accepted that recommendation. The precise level to which the blood alcohol level will be lowered will follow consideration of the outcome of research being carried out by the Road Safety Authority. The target date for completion of this measure in the strategy is the second quarter of 2009.

On the engineering side, the National Roads Authority will invest €1.25 billion for each year of the strategy on major inter-urban projects and will develop a new inter-urban network of motorways and dual carriageways from Dublin to Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford by 2010. However, I realise that the Deputy is referring to non-national roads and local roads. I accept that almost 45% of deaths are caused on those roads, whereas much of the investment is going into the motorways and the national roads. The aspects about which the Deputy speaks relate to local roads and there are too many deaths on those roads. Those items do not cost millions or trillions of euro and they should be carried out. I cannot quote the specifics out of the 126 headings of the strategy which refer to that, but I heard what the Deputy has said and I will report back his points.

Poultry Industry.

Deputy Rory O’Hanlon

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise the loss of 130 jobs at Grove Turkeys in Smithboro, County Monaghan. It is devastating for the workers, their families and the local community with all the consequences of unemployment. There is also an impact for 85 farmers on both sides of the Border who are the producers, as well as for the contractors who support those producers. The main problem is the inability to compete with low-cost countries.

The main problem for the poultry industry — a very important industry in my constituency, especially in County Monaghan — is the cost of feed, which has increased by €150 per tonne in recent years. There is increased global demand and much of the land is being used for bio-fuel, although it is important we do not end up in a situation where we have petrol for our cars but no bread. The pig industry also suffers from the high cost of feed and that is also an important industry in my own constituency. We cannot compete with cheap imports coming into the country, especially from Brazil. In recent times, the devaluation of sterling by 12% against the euro has had a major impact. The problems are not confined to Ireland because the number of turkeys killed in the UK have been reduced from 45 million to 15 million in the past ten years. The question is what needs to be done.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Mary Wallace, for coming to the House to take the question. The issue of food labelling rests with her Department. There is no doubt the consumer prefers Irish produce. It is important that when they go to the supermarket they can identify it. There must be labelling so they can identify the country of origin. There are two markets in Ireland for turkeys. There is a seasonal market at Christmas and Easter where people like a fresh turkey. We are well able to compete in this market. However, for the remainder of the year we deal with cheaper commodity poultry and we cannot compete.

I ask the Minister of State to speak to her colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, to ensure the workers at Grove Turkeys have every opportunity to find new jobs. I call on the State agencies that have a role to play to do urgently what needs to be done. This includes skills assessments and retraining if necessary. IDA Ireland owns land in Monaghan town and perhaps the time is right to build an advance factory and new office space. The county council economic sub-group should get the support of all the resources in the State that are necessary to ensure new jobs are found for these workers.

There has been substantial investment in Monaghan in recent years, especially in roads. One can now drive from Monaghan town to Dublin without passing through a town or a village. There has also been investment in education, especially DKIT in Dundalk, as well as in buildings in the county such as M-Tek 1 and M-Tek 2. Monaghan was never more attractive for the creation of new industry and I hope there will be work for those who are losing their employment in Grove Turkeys.

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Deputy Mary Wallace)

I regret the announced job losses and hope those affected will find alternative employment. The firm's decision is part of a rationalisation programme to secure the future of the company in the face of market changes and intense competition from overseas producers. This will see the firm move to a seasonal production cycle supplying the peak Easter and Christmas markets, although it will also continue with some added value poultry processing. Talks are in process with the turkey producers involved about the new arrangements.

The developments at this company illustrate the very competitive nature of the poultry sector. However, it has shown exceptional resilience in recent years. It recovered from the consumer concerns centred on avian influenza in 2006 and has managed to absorb the high feed costs evident over the past year. In fact, there was a 3% growth in output in 2007. Competitiveness remains a significant problem, however. The Irish poultry sector is small by international standards, accounting for just over 1% of total EU output. It does not enjoy the economies of scale enjoyed by other EU countries while it is also the case that imports from non-EU countries have also had a significant impact on the market. In the case of turkeys, the relatively seasonal nature of demand has been another constraint on the development of the sector.

The industry has and must remain market oriented. The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will continue to take the steps open to her to assist the development of the sector. A number of recent initiatives have been taken and I believe these will be of significant benefit. The poultry expert group was established with the objective of examining the main factors impacting on the viability of the poultry industry. It was asked to draw up relevant action points. The group included representatives of the producers, processors, feed suppliers and relevant State agencies. The final report of the group contains recommendations on matters such as labelling, animal welfare, environmental protection and feedstuffs. That report is under consideration and will be published shortly on the Department's website.

Deputy O'Hanlon spoke of the importance of origin labelling. This is a matter of considerable interest to Irish poultry producers and consumers. The Department, in conjunction with the Department of Health and Children, has drafted national regulations that would require the country of origin to be indicated on poultry, pigmeat and sheepmeat. This legislation was notified to the European Commission which, along with other member states, has until 14 March to comment on the proposed legislation. The Minister, Deputy Coughlan, has written to Commissioner Fischer Boel to reinforce the case for country of origin labelling.

The Bord Bia poultry quality assurance scheme has been instrumental in consolidating the position of Irish poultry on the domestic market and has helped to alleviate concerns and confusion regarding the quality and sourcing of poultry. This year Bord Bia plans to upgrade the chicken quality scheme to the EN45011 standard which will provide further independent endorsement of the quality of Irish poultry. Other measures include a package of financial assistance that was made available in 2006 and 2007 to broiler producers who were forced to cut back on throughput due to the avian influenza scare. In addition, the intensive livestock group established by the Department is examining possible solutions to manure disposal problems.

The Minister, Deputy Coughlan, appreciates fully that the poultry industry will continue to face a very competitive environment. While it may seem little consolation to those affected by these job losses, she is confident that the industry can meet its challenges. Allied to the measures outlined above, I believe that the sector can continue to benefit from its knowledge of the home market and the consumer preference — to some extent at least — for Irish produce.

I thank Deputy O'Hanlon for raising the topic. We will continue to pursue the issues he has stressed, such as origin labelling, as the points he has made are very important as regards the domestic market.

Schools Building Projects.

Deputy Michael Ring

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for selecting this matter. I had hoped it would not need to be selected, as I had been anticipating an announcement a fortnight ago as regards this primary school. I have put this matter on the record of the Dáil before, but I shall give some of the facts again.

On 29 November 2006 the Minister announced details of 54 major primary school building projects. She promised they would be able to proceed to tender and construction stage and many of them would be built over the next 12 to 15 months. That announcement was made on 29 November 2006, before the general election. The election was held in May last year. Two years after this announcement there is no sign of this school.

Deputy Mary Wallace

It was announced in November 2006 and it is now February 2008.

Deputy Michael Ring

It was November 2006 and we are now in 2008. If people cannot add in Meath, we can in Mayo.

This was one of the biggest political ploys that the Government has ever pulled.

Deputy Mary Wallace

That is just a year and two months.

Deputy Michael Ring

I hope the Minister of State has positive news. Since the Minister of State has interrupted, I would have expected someone from the Department of Education and Science rather than the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to have replied to this debate. It is an insult to me and to the House. I saw the Minister leaving. We have 22 Ministers of State so why can a Minister from the Department of Education and Science not answer my question? This is the third time I have put it down for the Adjournment debate and I was hoping we would have an announcement.

There is a major problem with schools in Dublin but the west is being left behind because this school project was ready to go to tender. The children have to vacate their building by June this year. This is the third time they have moved. The project is through the planning stage and we thought there would have been an statement a week or ten days ago, when the Minister was announcing the school programme. It has not been announced and I want to know why. When will the announcement be made and when will the project go to tender so that it can be built and the pupils will no longer be in rented accommodation? As I have said, there have been three moves already. I want to know what is going on in the Department of Education and Science. It is ridiculous that these projects take so long to progress from stage to stage in 2008.

The Leas-Cheann Comhairle has served as a Minister. Why have Ministers not taken control of the Department of Education and Science? Why does it take so many stages and so long in Tullamore and elsewhere to build a school? In 1995 the Leas-Cheann Comhairle was part of a Government in which I was a backbencher. In that year there was a case involving school which was infested with rats. Within a year work on the school was completed because the matter was pushed through every stage. I would prefer to see 30 schools announced for one year and built within that timeframe or soon afterwards instead of this stage by stage system. Teachers, pupils and parents are frustrated, as am I, because this is the third time I have tabled this matter on the Adjournment.

What is happening in the Department of Education and Science and when will the announcement be made so that we may know whether this project is going ahead?

Deputy Mary Wallace

I apologise for interrupting the Deputy, but I want to clarify that 29 November 2006 was just a year and two months ago. I shall endeavour to clarify where we have come from as regards this project.

I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity of outlining to the House the position of the Department of Education and Science regarding the provision of new premises for the school in question. It is proposed to build a new ten-classroom school based on an existing design that was previously used in the provision of a school elsewhere. Initially there were problems with the site acquisition and this delayed the progress of the project in applying for planning permission. Planning permission and a fire certificate has now been obtained and the tender documentation is currently being finalised.

Under the national development plan there is €4.5 billion assigned to the capital requirements of the primary and post-primary sectors. Just under €600 million will be spent this year on school buildings. The progression of all large-scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase is considered on an ongoing basis in the context of the Department's multi-annual school building and modernisation programme in which the main focus is to deliver school places within rapidly developing areas. The progression of the school in question, as with all large-scale projects, will be considered in this context.

Last week, as the Deputy said, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, announced the details of the large-scale building projects to commence construction over the next number of months. It is the Minister's intention to make a further announcement after Easter to allow a further batch of schools to commence construction and to update progress on the new schools planned for delivery in September 2008 in developing areas.

I would like to give the assurance that the Minister and her Department are committed to providing suitable, high-quality accommodation for the school referred to by the Deputy at the earliest possible date.

The Dáil adjourned at 9.50 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 7 February 2008.

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht - Wednesday, 6 Feb 2008