Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Road safety was mentioned by another Deputy who lives in a rural area. I also live down a very narrow country road. Two years ago, with others, I was involved in a very serious collision on that road in which a car hit us full-on at speed. Our car was shunted back ten feet, leaving it stuck in the ditch. All those in the car were injured, with some of the injuries lasting for approximately six months. I am acutely aware of the necessity for road safety on minor roads. The individual who was driving the other car was still over the limit having been drinking the previous night. The policing of roads to prevent drink-driving is one of the key tools we can use to ensure roads will be safer for everybody.

I am glad that Deputy Danny Healy-Rae admitted that there is a tool to fix some of the problems we face. He has rightly stated section 70 is not used enough, but that issue could be resolved and we could use the section to achieve his objectives in that regard. Interestingly, in responding to his amendment the Minister stated it was unnecessary as we already had section 70 to resolve the question with which we were dealing. She is using my argument against the Deputy, but it does not apply solely to certain months but to the entire year, including the months about which we are speaking. If it is valid in April and May, it is valid in March and August. It cannot be invalid in those months if it is valid in others. It is a matter of achieving the objectives for farmers and road safety and this becoming the generation that will put a line under the retreat of nature in our society, but that will not be the case if we eradicate habitats for animals in certain months of the year.