Kevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I know we have to stick to the agenda for the committee. Following an RTÉ programme a few years ago, I did not see the Minister or any departmental officials contradicting the comments made on television regarding violent car crashes that may have involved serious drink-driving. I did not hear officials saying the Road Traffic Act was solid enough. To this day, I get complaints from people saying that if the existing Act was enforced, we would not need the draconian laws brought in over the past 12 months. All we needed was for the previous Act to be properly applied and enforced. The consolidation Deputy Rock mentioned would have helped as well. There is a perception that, no matter what provisions are included in the Road Traffic Act, there are ways and means of getting around them. The number of cases being challenged in court also has to be acknowledged. Bringing in more amendments is not going to get rid of that cohort of people.