Mr. Sam Waide:

I thank the Deputy. Both questions link back to my ask to the committee in terms of legislation. On mobile phone use, average speed cameras will be rolled out in Ireland this year at a minimum of 12 locations. Other EU member states use technology to detect people using their mobile phones. It is written into their laws. The Civil Guard in Spain uses that technology very effectively. Our neighbours across the water in the UK are trialling camera technology that uses cameras not just for speeding, but for not wearing a seat belt and using their mobile phone while driving. I previously raised with the committee that the RSA completely and absolutely supports that technology and its implementation in Ireland. If legislative changes are required, and my understanding is there are, although An Garda Síochána and the Department of Justice are probably better placed to answer that, the RSA's view is that we should accelerate the technology that detects mobile phone use. Such use is at levels our surveys have picked up on, but they have probably not quantified the sheer scale of that poor behaviour, which is killer behaviour.

The Deputy's second question was on technology and insurance companies. The RSA has worked with various insurance companies on different initiatives. That was not in my submission because, literally in the past few days, and I welcome the approach, an insurance company asked, suggested and promoted the black-box technology the Deputy referred to. It is sporadic throughout the country. Some insurance companies use it and some do not. My understanding is that those in the insurance sector are willing to come together. They are asking, if the insurance sector were to cover the cost of the black box, and there was no cost to new young drivers, whether the country will mandate that anyone who is a new driver be mandated for the first two years of his or her driving experience to have one of those black boxes in the vehicle. That approach is very recent. It is something I need to discuss with agencies around the table, but it is to be hoped we can bring it to a point where the committee is supportive of that proposal. That same insurance company said that the data and stats it has on the people they insure indicate the highest probability of its customers having a collision is in the first couple of years of their driving experience. Some people may say that is obvious but that is in the data. It is one data set, but the data does not lie. I welcome the support for that particular solution.

I recognise in a positive way that insurance company coming forward. What we need is more scaling-up of employers and insurance providers throughout the whole country to step forward and help collectively to address these trends.