Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 38:

In page 17, between lines 20 and 21, to insert the following:“Use of a Mobile Phone while driving

22. The Road Traffic Act 2006, is amended in section 3, by the insertion of the following subsection:

“(10) It shall be an offence under this subsection to use a mobile phone which is held in a device by the steering wheel or is in a cradle by the driver’s side of the vehicle. Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing it shall not be an offence to use a hands-free device while driving.”.”.

The purpose of this amendment is to address a loophole in the legislation whereby motorists can currently use a mobile phone held in a device adjacent to the steering wheel or in the cradle by the driver's seat. I am not speaking about hands-free kits. The amendment seeks to close the loophole which has been identified in law.