Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am not making a case for such persons. I ask that the Minister consider carefully the Fianna Fáil amendment which is balanced and reasonable. I will support him in anything he does to tackle what we all know is the real problem - the carnage on the roads caused by people who are driving, despite having been disqualified after consuming enormous amounts of alcohol. Many complain about speeding offences on the grounds that someone who toddles along at 5 km/h or 7 km/h over the speed limit - I accept that it is against the law - receive three penalty points when someone else who is 20 km/h or 30 km/h over the limit receive exactly the same number of penalty points. I am arguing for proportionality. The further someone is over the speed or alcohol limits, the greater the risk and the bigger the penalty should be. It should be a graded system. What disqualification could mean for ordinary, decent people should be understood.