Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Could a measure be brought in so that a person could have a clear copy of their licence in each vehicle if need be?

The driver certificate of professional competence is held over a five-year period and people are supposed to do one a year. Some people do not get to one a year and they could do two the next year, but they have to write in letters and give excuses as to why they could not do it. We need to be more flexible on it.

A major problem I have is where people who are seeking the likes of trailer licences have not attended school for years and may have little received education. They are often petrified of driving a van through towns. There are people who will go to college and there are those who will be good with their hands. Why have we not looked at a system, such as Mondello Park, where questions can be asked as to what particular signs are for and what they will be more comfortable undertaking, such as an apprenticeship or going to college?

There is a raft of legislation to be introduced in the new year dealing with trailers and machinery but there has been insufficient consultation. At the moment, from what I understand, a tractor that goes to a mart more than 30 miles away is supposed to have a tachograph on it. There is a bit of lunacy in some of the rules that are coming in. From my place to Tuam is 34 miles and I am supposed to put in a tachograph to bring my cattle to the mart. The group that represents the contractors has brought this to my notice. We need to have a bit of common sense about what we are doing.

On the question of speeding, there are people who make a living as sales reps or whatever and are on the road every day. They will get caught. There is no point in saying someone is one or two miles or kilometres over the speed limit. If a person is on the road day in, day out, they are at much greater risk. Could there not be a system for people who are only a few kilometres over the limit so that they could pay some sort of a fine-----