Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Deputy that the condition of our roads is a factor. He will be aware that the amount of money we have been able to spend on our roads in recent times has been very limited. We are awaiting the capital review. It will be 2018 or 2019 when things really improve. It is a constant struggle to keep the condition of our roads at a steady state. I have asked my Department to identify specifically dangerous spots - there are some in the Deputy's area - where there have been a large number of fatalities so that we can regard them as priorities in the fight against road deaths. The condition of our roads is otherwise an issue that we will address in the capital review. The Deputy will be familiar with the trend there. It will be accelerated in 2019 and 2020. It is a difficult battle with the condition of our roads because of the lack of resources. We do not have the money to do exactly what we want. We are doing what we can with the resources available.

The Deputy said it was a kneejerk reaction. Nobody can be forgiven for having a kneejerk reaction to tragedies on the road. Of course there is a kneejerk reaction, but there is also a long-term reaction. They are both fairly similar in the case of most people, which is that it is top of the list in terms of priorities when people get killed.

I do not accept - perhaps the Deputy was not saying this - that tourists should be exempt or that any special arrangements should be made for what tourists do on the roads. Obviously, as Minister with responsibility for tourism, I am perfectly happy that the hospitality should be as generous as possible, but it should not in any way affect the rules of the road or the alcohol limits. If I am misunderstanding the Deputy, I apologise. This is not related to tourism, nor will it damage tourism in any way. In response to any suggestion that there should be any different rules for tourist, no, we will not do that.