Niall Blaney (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for his detailed opening statement. One of my main reasons for coming here today was not to ask the Minister of State about the content of his speech but to raise a number of queries I have received in the last 24 to 36 hours regarding proposals for people over the age of 70 to have to re-sit their driving test or have training in regard to their licence. I know it is not related to today's business but I wonder if the Minister of State has any remarks to make or thoughts about the issue. Personally, I think it is deplorable for any such proposal to come in front of Parliament and for people who have spent their lives with a driving licence to have to undertake such measures to continue driving. For me, 70 is the new 60. I think we have created a lot of anxiety in a very short time in this regard. If it is not on the Minister of State's desk at this stage, and I know I have just thrown this at him, it is something the Government needs to respond to sooner rather than later. The quicker we respond, the better.