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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 3 Oct 2013

Vol. 815 No. 3

Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed)

Question again proposed: "That the Bill be read a Second Time."

I wish to share time with Deputies O'Mahony and Walsh.

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. I recognise that the Bill is part of a progression building on successful legislation introduced in recent years, which has led to a dramatic reduction in fatalities on our roads. The greatest challenge the Government and the Road Safety Authority, RSA, face is complacency. It is clear that work needs to continue to reduce the threat of road accidents and the inevitable loss of life. It is disappointing that the number of road fatalities has increased this year compared to last year. That underscores the difficulty and challenge we face in trying to reduce the number of road accidents and fatalities.

The Bill contains a number of welcome provisions, particularly the introduction of a new category of novice driver who will remain in this category for two years after he or she passes the test. Most of us drive extensively. I drive 1,500 km a week on average and I am always learning. Nobody would be stupid enough to say they know everything that can happen and that they can anticipate everything on the road, but experience is a fantastic benefit in driving a car safely. The two-year novice drivers category must be introduced and should be welcomed. Further provisions include lower penalty point disqualification limits for both learner drivers and novice drivers, with the limit reduced from 12 points to six. That will focus minds on driver behaviour, particularly younger male drivers in their early 20s, a category that presents a particular problem that needs to be addressed. Female drivers of the same age are less of a risk but, unfortunately, they must pay a penalty because under equality legislation we are all equal and they are regarded as financially equal also. While we are all equal under the law, we do not all behave the same way. This must be addressed in this and other legislative areas. We need to reward good driver behaviour but we cannot, which is a shame.

The legislation also provides for amendments to the penalty points system. It will introduce a new range of offences and provides for a reduction in the penalty points accrued for failure to display a national car test, NCT, disc. That is a sensible approach. Since the NCT was introduced, the standard of vehicles has improved greatly. The age of the national fleet has increased because of the financial downturn but it is hoped it will decrease again. Perhaps the Minister is pushing measures in the upcoming budget to stimulate that sector, but as the economy turns around the age of our fleet will decrease and the standard of vehicles will improve, which will reduce risk on our roads.

The provision to take blood from an incapacitated driver without consent is also welcome. Anybody involved in an accident should be tested, even if he or she is incapacitated. It does not make sense that this is not done currently. Under the Bill, a sample can be taken without consent and subsequently tested with consent. This is a sensible approach. Preliminary impairment testing is a major issue, particularly in the context of drug testing. We are all familiar with the impairment experienced by drivers under the influence of alcohol and the blood alcohol concentration levels involved, but it is difficult to deal with drivers who are under the influence of other drugs. Given the lack of technology to conduct roadside testing, the Garda needs to be empowered to conduct preliminary impairment testing. While this was provided for previously in the Road Traffic Acts, enforcement is a difficult issue. This raises the question of what are the greater causes of road fatalities in the State. Alcohol and drugs are obvious, but fatigue, something we cannot readily test for, is an issue and it leads to many accidents. However, I do not propose that tachographs be installed in everybody's car immediately.

Deputy Dooley was probably in a different frame of mind when he was travelling home from the All-Ireland hurling final replay last weekend, but some objects are designed to distract as drivers travel along the motorway. While the volume of traffic last Saturday was unusual, this issue should at least be recognised, if not legislated for. Roadside posters and advertisements on the side of the motorway are designed to distract drivers. They are erected there in order that drivers will read them and take their eyes off the road. Unfortunately, given that traffic was busier than normal at the weekend, cars were stopping and starting and there were a number of accidents. Thankfully, nobody was seriously hurt, but that issue must be addressed.

I refer to the testing regime for learner drivers. Members drive on different types of road, including on motorways, national and local roads, boreens and tracks, and some of us even drive off-road in our day-to-day work. We drive in various weather conditions, including on ice or in the meltingly hot conditions we experienced this summer. However, driver testing does not reflect that. I do not know, for example, whether many of us were tested on how to overtake safely. One is encouraged not to exceed 40 km/h or 50 km/h during the driving test but that is not the experience we have daily as we drive. Testing for different road conditions and for different driver behaviour, including anticipating irresponsible behaviour, should be introduced.

I accept that might impose further demands on the road testing facilities. If we analyse the causes of accidents we could introduce more effective testing and comprehensive rehabilitation regimes to establish whether someone's driving skills have deteriorated or were never up to the mark in the first instance. Such drivers are as much a danger on the road as irresponsible young men in their 20s whose behaviour has been well flagged, but they can equally kill. Such people must undergo rehabilitation and retesting and if it is found that they do not have the required life skill to handle a vehicle then perhaps they should not be on the road at all.

I very much welcome the provisions in the Bill. It is not an end but a work in progress to stay ahead of the curve, as it were, to avoid and deal with complacency in the way we deal with road safety. I hope the Bill and future legislation we enact will lead to a reduction in road fatalities. That can only be welcomed.

I welcome the provisions in the Bill, which in effect is a further effort to build on the good work of recent years in making our roads safer for all citizens, whether they be motorists, pedestrians, cyclists or motorcyclists. Sometimes one can look on penalty points as being harsh, but we must educate people to see them as incentives for better behaviour on the road rather than impediments or harsh penalties. We will all benefit if that approach is successful.

We all welcome the downward trend in road deaths in recent years, especially between 2001 and 2012. That has had a knock-on effect in terms of reduced motor insurance premiums. I acknowledge the lead taken by the RSA. Since it was set up it has led from the front and helped to change the culture among motorists. The headquarters of the RSA is in my constituency in Ballina. On many occasions I have seen the methodical, researched and logical way it has confronted road safety in order to convince members of the public of the need to change their behaviour on the roads. The RSA's actions have been spearheaded by the outgoing CEO, Noel Brett, who will shortly move on to new pastures. He has left a great legacy in terms of how things should be done. He has rightly set the bar high for his successor, whoever he or she might be. I wish him well in his new post. On his previous appearance before the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications he warned about becoming complacent in view of the decreasing number of fatalities. He also predicted that they would increase. Unfortunately, that is now happening. It is opportune that the Bill is being introduced at this time. I commend the Garda, which has implemented many of the measures taken in recent years, often in difficult circumstances and with reduced resources, as is the way in every area currently. We are experiencing an increase in the number of road deaths. It seems inevitable that the increase will not be corrected before the end of the year.

I also commend the Minister for his introduction of the Bill at this opportune time. I welcome the fact that he has consulted widely on the measures contained in it. The consultation ranged from expertise from abroad and in this country to Oireachtas committees and individual Members on all sides of the House. This is a new development that must be welcomed. It is especially welcome at the moment, when Dáil reform is top of the agenda. It is an ideal way to approach road safety.

Speed, intoxication, fatigue and lack of concentration are the main causes of traffic accidents. Many of the issues are being addressed and strengthened in the legislation. In recent weeks and months penalty points have been a topic of conversation for negative reasons. It is undeniable that the introduction of penalty points in 2002 is a key reason for the reduction in road deaths. I remember the weekend they were introduced; the country was travelling at a snail’s pace. That has adjusted somewhat since, but penalty points have had a positive effect. The measures on penalty points in the Bill are helpful also.

I will not go into detail on the other changes being introduced, such as testing for alcohol of those who have been injured in accidents. Safeguards are required in that regard, but I welcome the measure, which will address drug driving as well. We should not lose sight of the progress that has been made. I refer to the 65% reduction in road deaths between 1997 and 2012 when the number of cars increased by 66%. Much good work needs to be done, but the Bill will strengthen the measures that are required to continue the good work.

I thank my former Government colleagues for sharing time with me and allowing me to speak in the debate.

The Deputy is on the way back.

I compliment the Minister.

The Deputy must not have picked up penalty points.

The Minister has been most progressive in the legislation he has presented since he assumed office. This is the fifth road traffic Bill he has brought before the House. Any constructive legislative measures aimed at reducing the number of lives lost on our roads are to be welcomed and commended. The Bill is another step towards doing that.

Significant progress has been made in road safety in the past decade and a half. Between 1997 and 2012, the number of road fatalities in this country annually has fallen by almost two thirds. On this side of the House we are quick to criticise our predecessors for things they got wrong, but in fairness, we must compliment them on the work they did on road safety. I refer to the former Ministers Martin Cullen and the late Seamus Brennan, who did a huge amount of positive work, as the current Minister is doing, to improve the situation.

The positive trend we have experienced in the past decade and a half can be attributed in part to developments in the law pertaining to risk factors such as alcohol testing, the strengthening of the law on the use of seat belts, speeding, and the roadworthiness of vehicles. The reduction in fatalities and improvements in road safety have also been thanks in no small part to the vigilant enforcement of the law by the Garda, which is at the coalface of every campaign and legislative measure. Without the hard work and vigilance of the Garda in enforcement the measures might not have been as successful.

In addition, we have succeeded in fostering a new culture surrounding road safety in Ireland through awareness campaigns and education programmes under the auspices of the RSA. There has been notable success, in particular, in combating the prevalence and perceived acceptability of drink driving that there once was to disastrous effect. Most Members of this House will recall a time when the pilgrimage undertaken by both sets of supporters, such as last weekend's All-Ireland final, would have been punctuated by boozy pit-stops during which it would not have been strange to see the designated driver indulge in a few pints.

However, this culture has been consigned to the past and, accordingly, both the number of road fatalities and the proportion in which alcohol is a factor have been dramatically reduced.

As legislators, we cannot reflect on that reduction and consider that we have done enough. A single fatality is one too many and an increase in the number of road deaths to date this year should act as a warning against complacency. On listening to the debate this week, it struck me that it might seem callous to speak about road deaths solely in terms of statistics. It is important to remember that each one represents an individual, namely, a parent, a child, a sibling or a partner. With each fatality, multiple lives are irreparably damaged.

I have no doubt that the Bill will further the progress made by successive Governments in reducing the number of lives lost on the roads each year. To this end, the increase in penalty points for certain offences proposed in the legislation seems sensible and proportionate with the statistical correlation between those offences and their role in serious road traffic accidents. Among the new offences that will attract penalty points is the contravention of rules for the use of mini-roundabouts. While in principle I support this provision, I suggest that if there is to be regulation of the use of mini-roundabouts, there should also be greater regulation of the provision of mini-roundabouts and the form that they take. There has been some frustration among my constituents in regard to a series of new roundabouts constructed along Grattan Road in Salthill and along the coast. The area covered by the white paint demarking each mini-roundabout on the coastal thoroughfare is so small that it could easily be confused with something that might have dropped from a well fed seagull, rather than something designed to govern the flow of traffic. The mini-roundabouts are very difficult to negotiate properly and, in the case of larger vehicles, impossible to negotiate properly and represent merely a bump on the road. Perhaps some guidance for local authorities is required in this area if the law is to be implemented fairly and effectively, or, at the very least, elaboration on what precisely will constitute an offence under the relevant section of the Bill.

I welcome the opportunity to say a few words on the Bill. It provides for a number of legislative changes that can only improve the quality of driving and safety on the roads. In recent years we have witnessed a significantly different attitude to road safety. There are many reasons for this, including tougher legislation, penalty points and zero tolerance of drink-driving. The increase in the number of motorways has created a safer driving environment for citizens.

We must welcome the reduction in the number of deaths on the roads in recent years. While the number has increased in the past year, the RSA and the Department have generally done a great job in highlighting the dangers of speeding, drink driving and carelessness on the roads. Mr. Noel Brett will certainly be a major loss to the RSA. Both he and Mr. Gay Byrne highlighted regularly the importance of safe driving. Perhaps the Minister might be announcing a replacement for Mr. Brett in the near future. I met Mr. Brett on many occasions and always found him to be very helpful, supportive and on the button when running the RSA as it should be run.

Deaths on the road certainly cause great devastation among families. I had a 20 year old daughter killed in a car accident and know very well the trauma and continuing sadness that it brings during the years. There have been many accidents in recent years that have caused major problems for families. Accidents increase the pressure on accident and emergency units and the health service incurs a cost. Anything that can be done to address this through this legislation can only be welcomed.

One of the most important provisions in the Bill is the introduction of the novice category of driver. This measure will apply to all drivers during their first two years as motorists. The Minister is saying that if one accrues six penalty points, one will lose one's licence. The Minister might explain why he is moving from the current maximum, 12, to six. A number of younger people have raised this issue with me. They believe the six point cut-off is rather stark. Perhaps the number should be increased. Will the Minister comment on this?

The Bill introduces a number of offences attracting penalty points, including the offence of failure to display N and L plates. This is a major problem. Many motorists do not display L plates. Gardaí will tell one that, because of the pressure they are under, they cannot spend all their time trying to find out whether a driver should have an L plate. The work the Minister is now doing may encourage people to display their L plates.

We all welcome the measures on intoxicating liquor driving offences. This will empower members of An Garda to require people in charge of a car in a public place to undertake intoxication impairment testing. I am sure we have all heard anecdotal evidence and some very strong evidence of people who caused accidents but who were not injured at all jumping into the ambulance in order that gardaí could not test them for being intoxicated. This had to be dealt with and it is welcome that the Minister is doing so.

The Bill for the first time allows the taking, subject to medical approval, of a specimen of blood from an incapacitated or unconscious person following a road traffic collision involving death or injury. Who will actually make a final decision on the taking of the specimen? Will it be the doctor or a garda?

We fully support these provisions and believe they will have a positive impact on road safety. We also believe there is serious concern. I do not know whether Mr. Gay Byrne is correct in contending the system is not being operated in the way it should be. There has been a reduction in the number of gardaí, certainly in my part of the country, and this is leading to a reduction in the number of apprehensions. I was apprehended recently for speeding. Gardaí are certainly on the Arklow bypass and doing a good job in that area.

We published a Bill in 2013 to crack down on hit-and-run drivers by introducing tougher penalties and extending the powers of arrest of the Garda. Under the proposed Fianna Fáil Bill, it would be an indictable offence for anyone to leave the scene of an accident resulting in injury. The offence would carry a punishment of up to ten years in prison or a fine of up to €5,000. Obviously, one would lose one's driving licence. The Bill would significantly increase the Garda's powers of arrest in any hit-and-run incident and extend the time available in which to test offenders for drugs and alcohol from three hours to 24. In recent weeks there have been two, if not three, hit-and-run incidents. This issue needs to be dealt with. Perhaps the Minister might consider amendments on Committee Stage on that issue.

Let me raise the issue of the operation of speed vans and their placement. Many people point out to me that many speed vans are operating in 30 kph zones or on motorways. In the opinion of many, these are the least likely locations of accidents. I was at a meeting recently at which many people were claiming that instead of the vans being used to slow down traffic, they were used as part of a money-making scheme.

I ask the Minister to comment on this. Certainly, on the Arklow bypass and within the 30km per hour zones in our towns, where drivers are an easy catch, vans are found on a regular basis, but on more dangerous roads, including back roads, side roads and main roads, the vans are not in place.

I do not know if anything can be done under this legislation to deal with the issue of illegal parking at schools. At the opening and closing of schools, particularly in urban areas, one will see cars abandoned or parked illegally when hundreds of children are entering and leaving the school. I have suggested to the local authority in Wexford that we should, where possible, have drop-off zones at least 100 metres away from school gates, particularly in larger schools, because of the danger of accidents. No parking should be allowed within the vicinity of school gates. I am not sure whether the Minister can introduce regulations to deal with this issue under this legislation. However, it is certainly an area of concern. Many small accidents and incidents are happening as it is, but I believe it is only a matter of time before a major accident occurs.

I welcome the Bill and hope it will further increase protections for people on the roads. It will also deal with some of the anomalies as a result previous Bills. I hope the Minister will be in a position to respond to some of the issues I have raised.

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Road Traffic Bill 2013. Yesterday we discussed the Freedom of Information Bill 2013, which attempts to restore the pre-2003 position. The Bill before us now reminds me of my early days in this House in 2002 and, prior to that, with Meath County Council, when road safety was a major issue. Unlike the Freedom of Information Bill, we are not seeking with this Bill to return to the old days of the 1990s and the 2000s. Indeed, 2001 was one of the worst years ever for road deaths, with 415 people killed. That is 415 fewer mothers, fathers, sons or daughters, friends, neighbours, work colleagues and so on - so many lives lost needlessly. Last year, 161 people were killed on our roads. While that figure is still far too high, it also represents 254 fewer wakes, funerals and empty chairs at dinner tables from that awful high of 2001. We cannot slip back to those figures.

One of the issues that interested me most in 2001 when I was first elected as a councillor was road safety. Road deaths disproportionately affected my peer group at that stage - those in their late teens and early twenties. Sadly, that remains the case. We have not changed the percentages in that regard. The high insurance premiums also affected young men greatly.

Much progress has been achieved but we cannot rest on our laurels. Lives are still being lost and deaths are occurring that are preventable. We talk a lot about accidents in the context of road safety. However, I believe that in the majority of cases, we should be referring to incidents. Incidents are preventable and happen when people make mistakes or do something wrong. Accidents are often an act of God and are not preventable. We must remind ourselves of the fact that most road incidents are preventable.

We must always remember that a car handled poorly or with a lapse of concentration is a lethal weapon. In that context, I believe we may have to strengthen our laws, because if one drives a car under the influence of drink or drugs, one is, in my view, attempting murder. The vehicle in that scenario is a weapon. This Bill goes a long way to reinforce that point but if we cannot get the message through to people, we will have to introduce even stronger measures in order that people will realise the consequences of their actions. If they are drink driving or driving under the influence of drugs they are, literally, attempting murder. That is what they are doing.

The attitude to driving of many people in this country is that they have a right to drive and were born with that right. That is not correct. It is not a right but a privilege to be allowed to drive on our roads and we must get that message across. In the context of road safety, young people in particular think an accident will never happen to them, but it can happen to any of us. The national lottery advertisement campaign is relevant in this regard. That campaign works well because it convinces us that we could win the lotto. The slogan "It could be you" works, which is why hundreds of thousands of people buy lottery tickets. The flip side of that is the fact that we do not believe that something bad can happen to us. We must convince young drivers at an early stage that it might just happen to them. They might go around a corner and meet an articulated lorry on the wrong side of the road. They might skid on water or ice. It might just happen to them. The attitude must change. Even with the best of legislation and road engineering, we must continually work on the education of drivers and on changing attitudes. If one sits by the side of the road for any length of time and watches what is going on, one is amazed that there are not far more road accidents. It is amazing that the number of road deaths last year was 161, given what goes on the roads.

I referred to the importance of road safety in my speech on the passage of the Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013 in April of this year. The clampdown on non-verification of the off-the-road status of vehicles may yield anything from €50 million to €75 million. This revenue is to be welcomed and I urge the Minister to ensure that as much as possible of this new motor tax windfall goes into the continued promotion of road safety, thus backing up what he is trying to do with this legislation. I know that other Ministers will want to get their hands on that money too, but nevertheless there is extra money available because of the closing of a loophole in the law. The long queues that we saw recently outside various motor tax offices simply proved that there was a problem with off-the-road declarations. There was a panic in the last few weeks with people trying to get this sorted out. This proves that the Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013 was correct and that reform should have been introduced a long time ago. We are making progress but we should make sure we spend that additional money wisely. Some of it should be used for road safety measures to back up this legislation and the ongoing work of local authorities.

The scenario that followed the passage of the Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act brings to mind a very Irish attitude - namely, that laws affect others and not one's self. It also reflects another particularly Irish attitude to new laws - namely, that they will not be enforced. The rush indicated that people thought the law would not be implemented, but it was. If one went to a motor tax office three or four weeks ago, one would have been in and out in ten minutes. In the last week, when people finally realised it was going to happen, there were massive queues. People always assume that laws will not be passed or will not be enforced. Things must change in this country. People must realise that new laws will be introduced, passed and enforced. That message must go out loud and clear. In fairness to the Minister, when it comes to road safety, that is the message he is putting out. The Irish attitude to the law must change because generally, laws are for our own good. Laws are passed to protect us and those around us.

For too long we have grappled with the stumbling blocks of drink driving, penalty points and seatbelt use. Progress has been slow and people are slow to change. People resist change but when change does happen, through strong leadership from Government and with proper explanations from Ministers of the issues at stake, we see very quick cultural shifts. We saw that with the plastic bag levy and the smoking ban. We have a very strong Minister in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport who is prepared to lead and pass the necessary laws. The people will follow but it is so important that we explain why we are introducing new laws. In terms of road safety, it is quite straightforward - we want to protect lives.

I have been involved in road safety campaigns for many years, as have many of my colleagues, some of whom are sadly no longer with us. I welcome this Bill as another progressive step forward, especially in the area of driving under the influence of drugs. That is an issue that scares everybody, and the situation is very serious. Many of the provisions of this Bill have been called for by road safety campaigners, professional driving instructors and bereaved families for the last ten years or more. Sadly, it has taken time for it to happen, but I commend the Minister for listening to their concerns and acting upon them in the first half of this Government's term. The provision of more details on the novice class of driver, with lower alcohol limits allowed and now a lower disqualification limit for penalty points, is very welcome. It represents common sense and reflects the reality that good driving habits require practice and time. There is a difference between knowledge and wisdom. One can obtain knowledge from lessons and one can pass one's driving test but wisdom can only come from several years of driving under the many varied conditions drivers face on the road. Every day we learn more about how to handle our own cars.

In the time remaining, I wish to raise one other road safety issue relating to some of our national roads on which schools are located.

In recent years many schools have developed proper safety mechanisms to deal with traffic. Rathmore national school on the N51 serves a large number of students who are dropped off there by parents in their cars. A large volume of traffic builds up in the morning and evening. It is an accident waiting to happen. However, as responsibility falls to various Departments and councils, this matter will not be tackled. A plan must be put in place to deal with road safety at schools on main roads. It is a cross-departmental issue but should be led by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. While we can enforce all the road safety laws we want, we also need to work on driver attitudes from an early stage.

I welcome the Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill. The deteriorating road infrastructure in Dublin city is a problem that I encounter as a cyclist and hear about from my constituents. This is a danger to road safety. There are certain stretches of road and dedicated cycle paths that are in such disrepair that accidents will inevitably happen on them. We should invest more money in repairing them. While I accept that the road maintenance budget may be down by €100 million, we should target it at repairing roads. This would also lead to savings. For example, a victim of a road accident caused by the poor state of a road will end up in hospital, a further cost to the Health Service Executive. During the bad winter several years ago Dublin City Council claimed it could not afford to maintain sufficient salt stocks to keep footpaths clear of ice. However, many pedestrians suffered falls as a result and ended up in hospital. The cost to the State of broken bones was more than the cost of buying salt for gritting. It will cost us more money in the long run if we do not invest in repairing existing road infrastructure and providing new infrastructure to deal with accident black spots.

All Members know someone who has been affected by a road traffic accident. We can bring in laws such as this, but if the basic road infrastructure is not up to scratch, serious road safety problems will continue and only get worse.

We need to do more to make cyclists comply with the laws of the road and not break traffic lights or cycle on footpaths. Recently I saw a person knocked over by a cyclist on a footpath. Fortunately, they were not badly hurt. On-the-spot fines should be given to cyclists who do not comply with the rules of the road. The only way we will get cyclists to comply is if they are walked to the ATM to pay the fine or asked to empty their pockets as they are far too liberal with the road laws.

The reduction in the number of road deaths in recent years may well be one of the positive results of the Celtic tiger era. The number of motorways with dual carriage status has done much to reduce the numbers of road casualties in the past ten years. Since 1997 we have reduced the number of road deaths by almost two thirds, which is to be welcomed. To further decrease the numbers of road deaths and accidents we need to examine how we achieved these reductions.

The penalty points system is a central plank of the Government's plan to deter drivers from bad behaviour on the roads. Penalty points are an added deterrent rather than just fines where the implications for consistent poor road behaviour will eventually lead to a driver being put off the road.

The Bill provides that learner drivers will be automatically disqualified when they amass six penalty points, as compared to 12 for drivers with full licences. I welcome this proposal as statistics will tell us that drivers aged 21 to 25 years remain the age group with the highest number of driver road deaths. It is evident every weekend when we hear of news reports of up to four young people in a small car involved in single vehicle accidents between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m. In some cases, drivers with provisional licences are involved. We must try to do all in our power to inform and educate these learner drivers that there is a thin line between life and death, that they are not alone on the road and that they must always expect the unexpected.

The issue of drink driving has been the subject of many a debate from here in this House to our local council chambers. The decline of the rural pub is directly related in many cases to the reduction in the blood-alcohol limit which has been revised on a number of occasions by successive Governments. Despite this action, it is clear from reading local newspapers that some reckless people continue to drive with blood-alcohol levels far in excess of the limit and are involved in accidents causing death or injury.

Currently, the law does not allow for the taking of a blood specimen from incapacitated drivers following a collision. This will now be permitted under the Bill where the treating doctor does not consider it prejudicial to the health of the person. The sample can be taken without the permission of the incapacitated person, but permission must be given before the sample can be tested. This will be welcomed by many victims of drunk drivers who would have expressed their frustration with the current law. These drivers will suffer the consequences not only for their own injuries but those of the persons they hit. The Minister is also allowing for intoxication impairment to be tested more easily where a person is impaired because of alcohol or drugs. This will result in getting more reckless people off the roads and is very welcome.

The issue of drug-driving presents difficulties for the Garda. I understand from some gardaí that the effects of drug intoxication may not be as visible as alcohol intoxication. Most drugs can be detected during tests for alcohol in blood and urine samples. However, there is a need for roadside tests in the case of drug-driving. Section 11 gives the Garda powers to carry out preliminary impairment tests like walking a straight line and will allow a garda to make up her or his mind as to whether he or she should proceed to a formal test.

The Minister is increasing the number of penalty points in several areas on the assumption that certain types of driver behaviour cause the most accidents. The number of penalty points for speeding increases by one point to three. It is obvious that speeding is the reason for many accidents. However, I must question the placement of certain speed checks on regional roads. Some checks are done in 30 km areas; the proverbial "shooting goldfish in a bowl" comes to mind. Instead, we want more checks late at night or at weekends which respond to statistics on accidents when some of the boy racers are out on the road and driving recklessly.

I note also the increase by one point for drivers who use their mobile phone while driving. This, again, is a practice that causes many accidents. Most new vehicles have a Bluetooth system fitted which does not require a driver to take his or her hand off the steering wheel. Car kits can also be fitted at very good value. There should be no excuse for drivers and I welcome the proposal.

I welcome the measures introduced by the Minister which will continue to reduce the number of road deaths. From 2002 to 2004, some 362 people were killed in road traffic accidents. I estimate this year and the previous two will see that figure down to approximately 172, a reduction of 50%. While this is good, it is still too many. However, 200 families will not experience the grief of having a loved one killed on the road compared to ten years ago.

Our road infrastructure is a major negative factor in the number of road deaths.

I urge the Minister to concentrate his limited resources on the upgrading of major traffic routes. Last week the Minister visited my constituency, where he viewed the results of the €1.1 million spend on the N16. I again thank the NRA and the Minister for this funding, which will decrease the number of accidents. In the last 15 years more than 40 accidents have taken place, with numerous deaths and serious injuries. This narrow road is expected to cater for articulated lorries en route from Sligo to Belfast and it cannot. Similarly, the N4 from Castlebaldwin to Collooney is a road the Minister is familiar with, and statistics, alongside the white cross reminders, show the large number of accidents on this stretch.

The development of motorways with dual carriageway to Galway, Waterford, Athlone and Limerick in the last five years has directly resulted in reductions in road deaths. If we have the opportunity to further stimulate the economy I urge the Government to address the deficiencies in our major road network. This would not only enhance regional and Border economic development but ensure the further saving of lives on the roads.

I warmly welcome the Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2013 because it includes three important areas of reform. I congratulate the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and commend the Minister for his courage in introducing some of the necessary changes to road traffic legislation. It has been said to me that the Bill continues a piecemeal approach to road traffic legislation. I note that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has embarked on a revision and consolidation of statute law in various areas. The Minister said he would bring forward further amendments on Committee Stage.

I commend the fantastic contribution made by members of the group known as Promoting Awareness, Responsibility and Care on our Roads, PARC. A number of PARC members, led by their chairman, Ms Susan Gray, are with us in the Visitors Gallery. PARC has consistently engaged with the Minister and his Department to promote and realise key reforms of road traffic legislation. We see the fruit of that here today.

I also commend the outgoing chief executive of the RSA, Mr. Noel Brett, on his tremendous work in recent years. I was the Labour Party's transport spokesperson for a fair number of years and watched the work of Mr. Brett and his chairman, Mr. Gay Byrne, at close quarters. Unfortunately, as other Deputies have said, this year we have had a regression in road safety figures. We had done outstanding work to reduce the number of fatalities to 162, but already this year we have lost 145 people, an increase of approximately 17 on the same period last year. Since this is happening on the Minister’s watch, it is critical that it be reversed. The Minister and his officials should examine what the causes might be and whether the Garda Síochána and the RSA are properly resourced. I agree with the Deputies who spoke about the quality of roads. In west Dublin and the Dublin Bay north area many roads have deteriorated badly, and we urgently need to address that issue.

Part 2 of the Bill contains new provisions concerning graduated driver licensing, which I warmly welcome. The definition of a novice driver is contained in section 3. The novice period is two years after the issue of a person's driving licence on successful completion of a driving test. Section 4 outlines the requirement for a novice driver to display an N plate or tabard in a public place. The Australian states Victoria and New South Wales first introduced a programme of graduated driver training and invigilation. Unfortunately, it has taken us almost 50 years to bring a similar system into this country. It is reflective of the RSA's recommendations about learner and novice drivers. The Road Traffic Act 2010 introduced the concept of a novice driver into Irish law, but contained little restriction on novice drivers. I disagree with one of the previous speakers about some of those restrictions. Unfortunately, our experience is that they are well merited given the terrible tragedies we have had with young people's deaths over the years. PARC has pointed out that according to its research, in the last three years more than 140 learner drivers were involved in fatal and serious collisions, and 119 of these were driving unaccompanied at the time of the collision. PARC has highlighted practice in Northern Ireland and elsewhere in the UK of applying penalty points to learner drivers who are apprehended while driving unaccompanied. PARC notes that learner drivers who drive unaccompanied or fail to display L plates receive three penalty points in Northern Ireland. This is compared to two points upon payment of a fixed charge for these offences under section 10(d) of the Bill, which amends Schedule 1 of the 2002 Act. I assume the Minister might re-examine the different standards in the two jurisdictions, particularly when we are, hopefully, achieving an all-Ireland standard.

I welcome the reduced penalty points limit for disqualification for learner drivers. I acknowledge the Minister's courage in introducing that section of the Bill. The reduction in the limit from 12 points to six for learner and novice drivers recognises the determination of the whole community. The rationale is to prevent risk-taking, especially by young men, who are often very interested in vehicles and mechanics but who also, unfortunately, have a tendency to drive very fast. It also reflects similar practice in other jurisdictions, such as the UK, New South Wales and Ontario.

Part 3 of the Bill makes provision, in section 10, for 11 new categories of penalty points offence and increases the number of penalty points for other offences that are already contained in Schedule 1 of the Road Traffic Act 2002. This arises from the Department's review of the penalty points system, which was forwarded to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications. I welcome the process of consultation, particularly the increase from two points to three points for the offence of driving while using a mobile phone. It is astonishing how many people are driving around while talking on their phones. We seemed to have addressed that a couple of years ago, but we have now had a serious slippage.

I welcome the addition of new categories of road traffic offence outlined in section 10(g). I wrote to the Minister about the expiry at the end of this month of the derogation from the maximum height applying to heavy goods vehicles, HGVs, on our roads. Our limit of 4.65 m is the highest in the EU and the Minister has said the derogation for vehicles above 4.65 m will not be extended past the deadline of 31 October 2013. I ask him to glance at that again.

We know legislation alone will not tackle the problem of the increased number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads. Unlike in a number of other national policy areas, it is notable that one Department makes the law and another enforces it. The Minister might examine that in terms of the number of fatalities on the roads this year. Just this week a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, revealed that a significant number of drivers are escaping fines imposed through the penalty points system. This thorough examination of the system during 2011 and 2012 found that fixed charge notices were issued for almost 850,000 drivers, but the report contains a number of disturbing findings. Approximately 11% of all recorded fixed charge notice cases ended without the fine being paid or answered in court. Discrepancies were found in the termination of penalty points by the Garda Síochána. The report also found that up to one in five drivers are escaping fines from fixed charge penalty notices. Even in financial terms it seems astonishing that this area is not being further invigilated by the Minister's Department. Hopefully this Bill will be another step forward in ensuring all penalty points fines are dealt with properly.

The final significant part of the Bill before the House today concerns the testing of incapacitated drivers. Part 4 of the Bill amends the provisions contained in sections 11, 14 and 17 of the Road Traffic Act 2010. The replacement section 11 outlines the obligation on a member of An Garda Síochána to perform impairment tests, and I welcome the clarifications in that provision. Section 12 of the Bill outlines important amendments in the area of taking blood from an unconscious driver. I particularly welcome the inclusion in section 12(b) of the obligation on the Garda to send the blood specimen to the Medical Bureau of Road Safety and to retain part of the sample for the driver if he or she wishes to be provided with his or her own sample. Hopefully, this will address one of the most contentious and disturbing aspects of the investigation of crashes in this country and will lead to some sort of process of closure for families who are tragically bereaved.

It is significant that we are now finally enacting strengthened provisions in regard to the testing of incapacitated drivers so that our laws will be similar to those of many other jurisdictions, including Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, New Zealand and many of the OECD countries. As the Minister is aware, PARC has strongly recommended the inclusion and enactment of a provision to allow for the testing of an incapacitated driver following a serious road traffic collision. This will bring us into line with equivalent legislation in Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. Significantly, the IMO has also called on the Government to ensure that all drivers, whether conscious or unconscious, are tested for alcohol and other drugs following a crash where a person is injured. The Minister has discussed this with the IMO, the Medical Bureau of Road Safety and the Garda Commissioner. This is a major step forward and I commend the Minister on it.

The Bill does not include a number of important areas that have been highlighted by other Deputies and by me in previous years. For example, Deputy Dooley introduced a Private Members' Bill providing that a driver in a hit and run collision where any person was injured or required assistance would be guilty of an indictable offence. This is an issue I hope the Minister will address when the Bill goes to Committee Stage.

Decades from now, people may well ask why anybody should have died on our roads over the years when such a simple of mode of transport was used. I note the comments made by our colleague from Meath about it being a privilege to be a driver. That is true. In time to come we may well look back at some of the figures that astonish us now. Surely we can imagine a situation in which only small numbers, perhaps in the single digits, form the casualty rate for a small State like ours. We have lost some of the momentum built up over recent years, in which death rates were consistently reduced. However, we have lost 17 extra people tragically this year compared to the same period last year. Families and communities have been left devastated as a result. We heard at first hand from one of our colleagues of the tragedy of losing his daughter. The Minister needs to redouble his efforts in this regard. He has said he will do this, but he needs to liaise with the Minister for Justice and Equality on it.

The Minister and I have some serious differences with regard to budgetary and economic matters. I believe this area is one that needs to be ring-fenced. In my experience and that of many Deputies, measures such as road checks seem to have disappeared from our roads. In 2010, when the Act became law, checkpoints were seen regularly around the greater Dublin area and people were breath-tested regularly. This practice seems to have almost died out. There are issues with regard to resources, the traffic corps and enforcement. However, it is the responsibility of this Minister and the Minister for Justice and Equality to ensure this Bill is relentlessly enforced.

I welcome the Bill as it will help to promote road safety and ensure that adequate measures are in place to punish those who commit road traffic offences. I hope the Minister will come back on Committee Stage with amendments covering some of the issues I have raised.

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this legislation. I wish to raise a number of issues with the Minister. The first issue concerns driving licences. The new credit-card-style driving licences have been promised for a long number of years and are eventually being introduced. I understand a microchip is to be included on the new licence, but I am disappointed that no provision is being made to include a facility for an ICE number to be included on the current licences so that where somebody is involved in a road traffic accident the next of kin can be contacted. The number should be there so that the services can be provided with information in regard to particular medical needs etc.

I understand that what we should do once the chip is introduced on driving licences is to include basic medical data such as blood group, allergies etc. The difficulty now is that some deaths are due to a delay in the provision of the necessary medical care because doctors must wait until they have discovered whether road traffic victims are allergic to a drug or have some other complication. I urge the Minister to ensure that when the revised driving licences are issued, basic information like this is included.

Last week during the debate on the Fines (Payment and Recovery) Bill, Deputy Terence Flanagan pointed out that the Bill does not provide for fines to be attached to social welfare payments. Therefore, if a person on social welfare accrues a fine, that fine cannot be taken, even by a couple of euro a week, from his or her social welfare payment. I know it is planned to make provision in the legislation for recovery of sums paid through the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland. However, I hope provision is made to recover some moneys through social welfare. While it may be only a small amount of money on a weekly basis, it is a matter of principle. If people are in receipt of social welfare, they should not believe they can get away scot free if they do not have insurance. I hope provision is made to recoup such fines.

Another issue is one I raised with the Minister of State on previous legislation. It concerns an anomaly within the NCT regulations that does not allow for a waiver for medical reasons. I gave an example here previously of a young man from County Roscommon who is photosensitive and who requires specific tinted windows on his car transport. The HSE paid for the tinting of the windows on his car, but when it went for its NCT it failed on account of having tinted windows. The family was told it would have to remove the tinted windows for it to pass the NCT and that they could then get the windows retinted. There should be flexibility in such circumstances where there is a valid medical reason to support special treatment. The NCT should be issued in such cases. I have been told there is a requirement to change the existing legislation, but for some bizarre reason the Department seems hesitant to do that. If there is a need to amend the primary legislation to deal with this issue, I urge the Minister to do it, in this legislation if possible. Otherwise, I urge him to ensure the regulations are changed to allow the necessary flexibility so that families do not end up in silly situations such as this.

In general, I welcome this legislation. Deputy Mitchell will recall that we spoke a long time ago about introducing a log book for novice drivers - the Minister was probably in short pants at the time - to provide for reduced blood alcohol levels and reduced penalty points for novice drivers after passing their tests.

I am glad this has been introduced and that the Road Safety Authority has taken it up. I have not always agreed with Noel Brett, but his heart has always been in the right place. He has been very dedicated to the cause and I commend him for the tremendous work he has done in establishing the Road Safety Authority and driving it though its first years.

We have seen significant reductions in road fatalities. There has been a blip this year but we have seen a significant reduction. The insurance industry has over the years argued if road traffic accidents decreased and fatalities decreased insurance costs would also decrease. We have seen a dramatic reduction in the number of fatalities, accidents and injuries but we have not seen the type of reduction in the cost of insurance, in particular the cost of insurance for young drivers and young male drivers. There is a responsibility on the insurance industry to live up to it is part of the bargain. Now it states because it cannot make margins on the stock market that young drivers should have to foot the bill. This is not fair. We have improved our fatality rate and reduced the accident rate and it is about time the insurance industry pulled up its socks on the issue.

I welcome the Bill, which provides for a number of measures to improve safety on our roads and it will have implications for all drivers. The legislation introduces measures towards the completion of a graduated driver licensing system. A new category of novice driver will be introduced and they will be required to display a distinguishing N plate along the lines of the existing L plate. Novice and learner drivers will also face a lower penalty points disqualification threshold. Learner drivers will have to record a minimum amount of accompanied driving before being permitted to take the driving test. The new novice driver category will cover drivers during the first two years after qualifying for a full driving licence. A period of disqualification or ceasing to hold a licence is not counted as part of the two years as a novice. The use of an N plate by novice drivers, or an N tabard in the case of novice motorcyclists, will be required to demonstrate to other road users the novice status of the driver in question. It will be an offence not to display an N plate or an N tabard. The legislation will also give authority to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to allow, subject to conditions which the Minister may set, vehicle insurers have access to endorsements on a person's entry on the national vehicle and driver file. This is an amended version of the provision made in the Road Traffic Act 2010.

As part of the legislation there will be a new requirement for learner drivers to record a minimum period of accompanied driving before he or she is permitted to take the driving test. If a person presents for a test without the appropriately completed record he or she will be refused a test and will forfeit the test fee. There is also a change of procedure following conviction and disqualification of a driver so particulars of the disqualification rather than the particulars of both disqualification and conviction will be communicated to the national vehicle and driver file. This reflects a change in policy on recording other criminal offences where a mechanically propelled vehicle is used onto the driver licence record. There will also be new powers of arrest for members of the Garda Síochána in cases where an individual disqualified from holding a licence is detected driving.

The Bill makes provision to test incapacitated drivers for intoxication following a road traffic collision where death or injury has occurred. Section 11 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 is amended by the legislation to provide for intoxication impairment testing and I welcome this. It replaces, and represents a significant advance on, measures in the Road Traffic Act 2010 which were never commenced due to the advancement of policy in this area. Members of the Garda Síochána will now be empowered to require people driving or attempting to drive mechanical propelled vehicles in a public place to undertake intoxication impairment testing. This involves non-technology-based cognitive testing such as walking a straight line, tipping one's nose or counting while standing on one leg. The results of these tests may be used in evidence to support the garda forming an opinion a person is intoxicated. The Minister will be empowered to prescribe in regulation the nature of the tests and their manner of administration as well as a form for recording the observations made during the tests. It will be deemed an offence to fail to comply with a requirement to undergo intoxication impairment testing. A new power of arrest will be created for use in the case of an offence under this section.

Section 12 of the Bill amends the Road Traffic Act 2010 to allow for the taking, subject to medical approval, of a specimen of blood from an incapacitated or unconscious person following a road traffic collision involving death or injury. The legislation will also make provision for the procedures which must be followed where a specimen has been taken from an incapacitated driver who subsequently regained capacity. The person in question will be required to give consent to the issuing by the Medical Bureau of Road Safety of a certificate of the result of the analysis of the specimen. Failure to consent will be an offence. This puts incapacitated drivers as nearly as possible on a par with drivers who are not incapacitated.

I am impressed with the provisions of the Bill. It is clear much work has been done to amend other legislation to ensure consistency. They are tough and uncompromising and I welcome this. Our roads must be made safer for everyone and one way of making this happen is to ensure justice will be able to be done in the event of proven wrongdoing.

I am pleased to have an opportunity to speak on this very welcome Bill, which builds on the success we have seen in recent years in reducing road fatalities. I echo the remarks of the Minister and others in acknowledging the work done by Mr. Noel Brett, the first CEO of the Road Safety Authority, who is moving on to a job which I suspect will be no less challenging, which will be to represent the Irish Banking Federation. I do not believe the huge drop in road deaths is down to one man, but it was under his stewardship the Road Safety Authority spearheaded bringing about the fundamental changes we have seen in driver attitude and behaviour in recent years which has saved many lives.

Prior to the establishment of the Road Safety Authority and Mr. Brett's appointment, driver behaviour and attitudes were fundamentally different and we have forgotten this. Drunk driving was not just commonplace, it was largely socially acceptable. Seat belt usage was regarded as girly behaviour and car journeys were regarded as the perfect opportunity to make mobile phone calls and send text messages. All of this has changed and not because we are better people but because for the first time we have had road safety policy measures driven by the results of rigorous research and evidence-based measures operating in other jurisdictions. The Road Safety Authority is to be thanked for this. Legislation, regulation, enforcement, technology and engineering investment have in recent years had a solid justification based on this research. Many of these changes were not popular when they were introduced but no one can gainsay the results they have brought about in terms of lives saved and injuries avoided.

The results are also thanks, as has been mentioned, to the tremendous enforcement work done by the Garda and the Medical Bureau of Road Safety, and we should not forget our engineers in the public and private sector and in local authorities throughout the country who, in conjunction with the Road Safety Authority and the National Roads Authority - now the National Transport Authority - built a motorway network which has been a major road safety success, and they continue to implement road safety measures in counties throughout the country. These are funded as generously as they can be because it is recognised engineering makes a difference to road safety.

Deputies of all parties in the Chamber have been heartened by the falling number of road deaths and have always supported the many legislative changes, unpopular as some of them were, which underpin this regime. The legislation builds on the success of recent years and the regime which has so successfully influenced driver behaviour and attitudes. Notwithstanding the increase this year in road deaths, and one will always have years which will not follow the trend, the constant updating of the legislation will improve this and there is no doubt attitudes are changing. It is appropriate and necessary to review the road safety regime on an ongoing basis as well as providing for the measures included in the new road safety strategy.

By and large, I would welcome all of the changes envisaged here. In particular, I welcome the ongoing effort to ensure the testing of drivers following accidents, whether that driver is incapacitated or not. I fully appreciate the concerns that have been expressed about bodily integrity and civil rights but I believe the rights of drivers have to be measured against the rights of innocent people on our roads to be protected from drunk drivers. I also welcome the provision for future roadside drug testing, notwithstanding the difficulties in finding an appropriate comprehensive testing device. It is important to pursue the testing objective when it is clearly demonstrated that the taking of drugs influences judgment and impairs driving.

I would broadly support the introduction of elements of the graduated driving licence for learner and novice drivers. These are absolutely justified by the disproportionate numbers of young people who are killed on our roads.

I welcome the changes to the penalty points system. I would sound a small note of caution on the danger of the whole system becoming so over-regulated that it becomes ineffective. All of these changes are worthy in themselves but they make demands on the administrative system as well as on enforcement resources. The reality is that the main dangers on the road remain speed, drink, fatigue and inattention. It is vital that enforcement focuses on those main causes of accidents and fatalities. My worry is that if we get bogged down in enforcement of minutiae, such as the contravention of rules for negotiating a mini-roundabout, logging driving hours and the like, we may lose sight of the wood for the trees. Of course, it is important that people know and observe the rules. None the less, I caution that we should not place such pressure on our administrative and enforcement procedures. We have limited Garda resources and I would not like to see these issues taking attention from the big-ticket issues which are the cause of accidents, particularly speed and drinking.

In all of the debate and literature around the legislation, the one figure that stood out and appalled me is that of the allocation of penalty points. More than 250,000 penalty points - that is, almost 40% of points - could not be issued because no licence holder was identified. I accept that some of these drivers are probably from Northern Ireland and some may be foreigners visiting us. However, the reality is that it must be down to the fact that there are so many untaxed cars on the road, because it is through the taxation office that the licence holder is located. If we are not locating them, this is down to untaxed cars. That 40% of penalty points may not reflect 40% of cars, but it could be very close to that. If these drivers can effectively drive with impunity, it makes a complete farce of the penalty points system and completely undermines its value in ensuring safe driving behaviour. To me, it is more than galling to find us in here legislating for a whole new panoply of penalty points only to realise they will only have application to maybe 60% of drivers, and that the rest are untouchable and will get off scot free.

The lesson here has to be that before we go chasing down drivers for minor infringements, we should concentrate resources on chasing down those untaxed cars. We have had great success in bringing down the numbers killed on the roads and a large part of that is due to the behaviour-changing impact of the threat of penalty points. However, if that threat only applies to a portion of drivers, then we are undermining the value of the system and all of the resources we devote to it. I believe we should be merciless in bringing those drivers and their cars into the enforcement system so that it applies to everybody. While these new measures in the legislation are welcome, to be really effective and, indeed, to have public acceptability among law-abiding citizens, they have to apply to everybody.

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. The measures in the Bill will enhance safety on Irish roads. The fact that there has been a 65.7% fall in road deaths in Ireland between 1997 and 2012 shows that Ireland has made huge strides in reducing road deaths under successive Governments. The strategic and targeted nature of the approach has been very successful. However, we can never become complacent about road safety.

This legislation is welcome and timely. It places an emphasis on road safety and serious injury, which is just as significant an issue. Every motorist has to renew his or her own efforts to drive safely. The fundamental issue is that the driving environment is one that is constantly in a state of flux. While there has been a significant improvement in the reduction of road fatalities, the numbers remain stubbornly high and, regrettably, are creeping slightly upwards for 2013.

I want to pay tribute to Noel Brett, CEO of the Road Safety Authority. I have had a number of dealings with Mr. Brett throughout his tenure as CEO of the Road Safety Authority and I have found him to be a most impressive individual who has worked tremendously hard in his role. Indeed, Mr. Brett can be proud that, as he leaves his position for newer pastures, he leaves a very good legacy. He has heightened awareness with regard to road safety, and the downward trend in fatalities during his tenure is a tribute to him.

This Bill will have an effect on road safety by targeting key areas. It strengthens the penalty points system and reinforces the driver learning process. It is my view that driver education is key. I believe we should start teaching young people good driving habits while they are still at school. Such an approach may take a number of years to be implemented but it is undoubtedly the way forward. Comprehensive training in all aspects of motoring, such as skid control, hazard awareness and driving at different times of the year, delivered as part of the school curriculum in transition year, can only pay dividends in terms of improving road safety and driver behaviour.

I have worked with a constituent on this principle over the past number of years. County Clare native Kieran O'Brien established a company in 2008 called the Irish School of Excellence, which provides this type of training for transition year students in Irish secondary schools. The driver education programme, as delivered by the Irish School of Excellence, is in 21% of our secondary schools throughout the State. Since 2001, 70,000 students have completed the programme and, as a result, it is the largest driver education programme in the country. The programme is delivered by young, exciting staff who can relate to teenagers, and it takes place over a six-week to eight-week period at a cost of €50. The programme hires local driver instructors for each school, which creates work for instructors. All students during the course get to do the following: practice their theory test; learn about green energy and driving; listen to gardaí give talks on road safety; learn how to buy a car, tax it and insure it; be taught how to use sat-nav systems; be taught how to drive a car; put on beer goggles to give the effect of drink driving; and learn basic maintenance such as changing a wheel, changing oil and so on. They also spend half a day in a live court setting, where they can see the consequences of drink driving, speeding and other driving offences. This is a very practical course, which is why it has been so successful. I would like to see this template form part of the curriculum in all our secondary schools. Perhaps the Minister might take this on board and, in conjunction with the Department of Education and Skills, set about rolling this programme out to all secondary schools throughout the State.

In light of the fact that our road network has changed so significantly over recent years, I believe learner drivers should be taught how to drive on motorways. It seems contradictory to ban learner drivers from driving on motorways until they pass their driving test.

It is a skill in itself to be able to navigate the motorway network, deal with merging traffic, changing lanes and so on. It might be helpful if a designated number of the compulsory driving lessons were set aside specifically to cover motorway driving, with the latter also incorporated into the practical driving test.

Last Saturday I travelled to Dublin to attend what has been generally described as the best ever all-Ireland hurling final, in which my native county of Clare took on Cork. I take this opportunity to congratulate the victorious team and management on a breathtaking performance, of which we in Clare are very proud. Both sets of travelling supporters met in Portlaoise on the way to the match, which resulted in huge traffic delays. There is a need for proper traffic management on the occasion of major sporting events. It took some supporters five hours to get from Clare to Dublin last Saturday.

And three days to get back again.

We certainly were happier coming home. There should be a better system of co-operation between sporting organisations such as the GAA and the Garda Síochána on the days of important matches. It is something the Minister might consider for the future.

Debate adjourned.
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