Mr. Keith Walsh:

What is required to allow the local authorities to receive and process the collision data is an amendment to the Roads Act 1993, to give them a legal basis that is sufficient and meets the criteria set out under data protection requirements. That amendment is contained in the NVDF Bill. Government approved the general scheme of that Bill in May or April of this year. We have been working in the Department, alongside our colleagues in the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, on the drafting. The Bill is on the priority list for drafting in this legislative term. Every week, if not more often, we have back and forth with Office of the Parliamentary Counsel colleagues. Our understanding is that the drafting is nearly complete. I was optimistic that the Bill could have been completed this side of Christmas. Unfortunately, that will be unlikely now. I hope that we will move to publication this side of Christmas and through the Oireachtas after Christmas.