JOINT COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 6 May 2009

Boy Racer Culture: Discussion.

Vice Chairman

Our next item is a presentation by the Tralee CBS transition year students on boy racer culture and their findings. I draw attention to the fact that while members of the committee have absolute privilege this privilege does not apply to witnesses appearing before the committee. Members are also reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official, by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I welcome Mr. Scott Monaghan, Mr. Greg O'Connell and Mr. Graham O'Donnell with their teachers Ms Ellen McGuidicuddy and Ms Helen Hayes. We are delighted to have these students appear, the youngest delegation I have seen for many a day. It is a sight for sore eyes to see the delegation. I will ensure the delegation, which is under time constraints, will be out of here by 5.15 p.m.

Mr. Greg O’Connell

We are here to present our findings from a survey conducted in our school, part of our young social innovator programme. We have just returned from the young social innovator event at the RDS. We finished third and received the bronze trophy.

We believe that "For Sale" signs equal "for race". Numbers printed on the sides of cars, such as those in the material distributed to members, are used to facilitate or organise races. We conducted surveys in our school with the senior and junior students and their parents.

I will present some of the findings from the senior survey. We found that 31% of senior students in the school have cars and 97% have friends with cars. These alarming facts reveal the extent of the boy racing culture.

Vice Chairman

Believe me, nobody knows more about this issue than the witnesses. I assure them they know more than us.

Deputy Shane McEntee

Will Mr. O'Connell repeat his comment on car ownership?

Mr. Greg O’Connell

We found that 31% of the senior students in our school have their own cars. An area of our car park is reserved for boy racers. It is right in our faces.

Vice Chairman

That is a huge proportion.

Senator Dominic Hannigan

Nobody had cars when we went to school even though that was not very long ago.

Mr. Greg O’Connell

The proportion of students whose friends have cars is a massive 97%. The main explanations senior students give for road accidents are speed and boy racers. We found that 34% of students had positive opinions of boy racers, while a further 14% were indifferent.

Vice Chairman

I thank Mr. O'Connell for a job well done.

Mr. Scott Monaghan

From doing the junior survey, we found that junior students are feeding the habit of the boy racer culture. As 67% of junior students have friends who own cars, they have access to cars from a young age.

Vice Chairman

What age are the pupils to which Mr. Monaghan refers?

Mr. Scott Monaghan

They are between 13 and 14 years old. A massive 80% of junior students have relatives who own modified cars, that is, boy racer cars. This means they have access to the boy racer culture and can drive with their relatives from a very young age. Some 63% of junior students are aware that "For Sale" signs on cars are a means of organising races. They know from a young age that they can enter a race merely by ringing the telephone number on these signs. This is an alarming statistic. We ask the committee whether a by-law could be introduced to prohibit the placement of "For Sale" signs on the sides of cars.

Mr. Graham O’Donnell

After conducting the junior and senior surveys, we surveyed the parents of students in the school. This survey revealed that 90% of parents did not want their children to grow up in an environment of racing and anti-social behaviour. All the parents surveyed stated that they did not want their children to have anything to do with boy racing, while 65% of parents and teachers were affected in some way by seeing boy racers or being acquainted with the owners of these cars. We also found that 40% of parents believed "For Sale" signs were used to organise races and 85% wanted a by-law to be introduced to prohibit non-stationary cars from carrying such signs. Only 18% of parents believed that the Garda Síochána traffic corps is being strict enough in clamping down on activities whereas 65% believed that road deaths were related to modified cars or boy racing.

We are a long way from completing our projects and we would welcome any suggestions members of the committee might care to make.

Vice Chairman

That was nicely put.

Deputy Tom Sheahan

I congratulate the lads on their achievement in coming third in Ireland in the young social innovator competition. They put a lot of time and effort into their survey and demonstrated real initiative in doing so. It was never more relevant than last weekend when the Rally of the Lakes took place in Killarney. At one point I saw 40 cars leaving together for an area in which they could burn off tyres and race. One may claim that our road traffic legislation is sufficient but I am not aware of any specific provision in this regard.

Deputy O'Dowd and I have met the lads on several occasions. The numbers on the sides of cars may reveal a more sinister intent. As Mr. O'Donnell noted, 85% of parents would welcome a by-law prohibiting the advertisement of mobile phone numbers on the sides of cars.

Last weekend was a real eye opener for anyone attending the Rally of the Lakes in Killarney. Thankfully no accidents occurred but congregations of 30 to 40 cars were evident to all. I believe they consider their actions as entertainment. Some of my neighbours went out to the side of the street at 1.30 a.m. to observe what was happening. It is a highly dangerous activity.

I commend the students and their teachers on what they have done. This could not have been an easy task for young lads but they are addressing an issue of relevance to their peers. If politicians took on this task, we would be seen as coming down on young people. They should be applauded for realising this is a problem which has caused deaths on our roads. I commend them on taking this initiative.

Deputy Fergus O’Dowd

I congratulate the students, their teacher, Ellen McGuidicuddy, and their school agus molaim an obair atá déanta acu. The students have put their work on the record in Leinster House, which is something we are constantly trying to achieve. They have raised important issues of safety for young people. If a car is genuinely for sale, we have no way of knowing whether it has passed the national car test. Safety issues also arise in regard to cars being sold on the side of the road. We have been alerted to the possibility that for sale signs are invitations to races, which is not acceptable. I suggest that we ask the Garda Commissioner and the Road Safety Authority for their comments. We can communicate their replies with the school. The students have demonstrated how productive work done in schools can be brought to national attention.

Deputy Shane McEntee

I congratulate the three witnesses and their teacher on the presentation. I am aware it is not easy to speak in this environment. I have only been in this job a few years and I recall appearing on the "Six One News" and wanting to walk out because I could see nothing but cameras. The witnesses made their points very clearly. Deputy Sheahan has been encouraging me for some time to read their written submission. I apologise that I did not take it up. He never told me the witnesses were attending. It is great for them to do it because, although they might not think it, people listen to younger people now more than ever before because young people are educated, will not take "No" for an answer and will not be fobbed off.

I have one or two questions. Do the witnesses feel that with the downturn in the economy these boy racers have gone underground? In my area we have many of them but the cars are not insured, have no NCTs and are taken out at night. Is it true the mobile phone numbers are also used for drug sales?

Mr. Graham O’Donnell

We have yet to find out whether that is true. We know people telephone others to ask them to race. Last Friday we were in a class going through this. In the book there are some telephone numbers and we said we would give a few of them a call to see what happens. A couple of months ago a few people in the class went to McDonald's, a hot spot in Tralee, and drove around and picked up a few numbers. Scott called one of the numbers and a woman answered. First we asked whether she was selling her car and she said, "Yes". We asked if she would be interested in racing and she said that was no problem. She said she would get her twin turbo back and we said we would meet her at the lakes of Killarney. She agreed but we did not go any further.

Mr. Scott Monaghan

It is a work in progress. We have proof, as we have telephoned these people before and asked them. We are doing that.

Senator Dominic Hannigan

I compliment the witnesses on their work so far. I am glad to hear them say this is a work in progress and further work is needed. They have identified an area that needs to be examined in law. As Deputy O'Dowd said there may be issues on how to deal with cars that are legitimately for sale, but we need to examine the law. For the rest of the study I suggest the witnesses examine better enforcement and how we increase that rate of 18%. That is a ridiculous rate and is very low in terms of people's belief that the Garda is properly enforcing the law. I suggest the witnesses also examine education and how one makes people more aware of the dangers of racing cars at speed and the impact that could have on people's lives. A three-pronged approach comprising education, enforcement and improvements in the law could lead to significant improvements. I again compliment the witnesses on their presentation which has been very informative for me.

Vice Chairman

Is there anything else the witnesses would like to say before they leave? Is there anything the committee should do for them in the future?

Mr. Graham O’Donnell

Anything the committee could do would be much appreciated.

Ms Ellen McGuidicuddy

I thank the committee for having us here. It is a pleasure. I want to respond to the Chairman and Deputy Sheahan's point on being productive and what we need to do. What the group has said is that the survey is just a very small part of it and we understand that this is one step of an active project we are taking on board. The survey has revealed or validated a very strong belief among young people. This has raised awareness among teachers at our school, all parents and the committee members who would not have been aware of it before this. It has also raised awareness among our school community. We held a road safety awareness day in our local square which gained much publicity. This is just a small part of it. All that has furthered this more.

We want the committee first to take it on board, which it has, thanks to Deputy Sheahan. We know there is a by-law for stationary cars and if we can further that or pass it on to the Garda Commissioner that would be an achievement for us. We are very enthusiastic about taking it even further. If the members can consider that, pass it on, become aware of our survey and what we want to highlight and take that on board to eventually introduce a by-law to ban the printing of these numbers, that would make a difference. It will not solve the boy racer problem, which is stereotyping; Graham mentioned a lady. Although it will not solve the problem, banning those numbers would make a difference. If we cannot ban them, in the meantime we can raise awareness and put it out there. We have highlighted it to Kerry people.

Deputy Shane McEntee

Has a full-time road safety officer been appointed to County Kerry?

Ms Ellen McGuidicuddy

Yes, there is a road safety officer in Kerry County Council.

Deputy Shane McEntee

Does he or she visit the schools?

Ms Ellen McGuidicuddy

Not that we are aware of. The road safety officer has not visited us.

Deputy Shane McEntee

The witnesses should ask the road safety officer to visit because that person would broaden it to the whole of Kerry and would have a connection with all the other road safety officers. It would be a great way of combining the witnesses' knowledge with that of the other counties.

Vice Chairman

Because the witnesses have put so much effort into this, I propose we send a copy of this to the Garda Commissioner. That will be with him in the next week. We will also send it to the chief executive of the Road Safety Authority. When we receive comments from them we will send them to the witnesses. Can the witnesses indicate where they think the money is coming from for those people to have cars at that young age? Are they working after school hours or are there any jobs for that sort of thing? Where does one get a car at that stage?

Mr. Graham O’Donnell

They come from all walks of life. Some people's parents could buy the car and pay for the insurance. Some could work for whatever they need or maybe race for money. We do not know.

Vice Chairman

Is much pressure put on young people by their peers to race cars?

Mr. Scott Monaghan

Yes, because as I said, 67% of junior students have friends with cars and they would be urging them on.

Mr. Greg O’Connell

They will grow to like it. If they are going out in cars with their brothers, cousins or friends they will see them racing and want to be like them.

Vice Chairman

Our time has come to a conclusion. Without being patronising, the witnesses are a credit to themselves, their school and teachers. This is a unique occasion for this committee. I have never seen this happen here before. The witnesses have created a record. After a few days, they can read a transcript of the proceedings on the website. They can include that in the project and it will look well on their CVs.

The joint committee adjourned at 5.10 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 20 May 2009.