Ms Moyagh Murdock:

If the Chairman would not mind I would like to respond. At the outset I said that I believe the current legislation is robust and adequate, and that the powers have been given to the Garda. Gardaí have adequate powers. The issue in this regard is in ensuring the gardaí are properly resourced and funded, and that they have the necessary equipment.

We concentrate on the killer behaviours. We expect people to know that they should carry their driver's licence, but our priority is on the killer behaviours. Drink-driving, seat belts, speeding and mobile phone use are the main areas on which we concentrate. There is also a message on the other areas of road safety.

The night-time curfew issue is not something to be dismissed out of hand. This type of legislation has been introduced in the North of Ireland and there is a night-time curfew for some drivers there, but with some exemptions. They have also restricted the numbers of young people allowed in the vehicle at any one time to one person or siblings. This legislation was introduced to tackle the issue of young drivers so it is not beyond possibility. We will monitor that measure. The authorities in Northern Ireland have recognised that younger drivers are a significant risk to themselves and to other road users. It is not beyond possibility that such a measure would pay dividends.