Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

This is the last opportunity we will have to raise the matter of carnage on the roads with the Taoiseach before the May bank holiday weekend. This year, to date, unfortunately and tragically, 118 people have been killed on our roads. This figure, unfortunately, reflects an increase on a month to month basis as against 2004. I have occasion to travel extensively around the country and recently I have noticed a huge increase in motor cyclists travelling at grossly excessive speeds on some of our roads, well over 100 mph. It is impossible for some motorists to see them coming behind.

It is obvious that in order to change the culture of dangerous driving, with particular reference to speeding, that the law of the land needs to be implemented. Does the Taoiseach regard it as sufficient that the traffic corps has been increased by only 33 gardaí this year, barely one for every county? Is it good enough that after two and a half years only four out of a possible 70 offences are covered by penalty points? Is it good enough that the special high level group on road safety which met in a blaze of publicity after an horrific week last September has not met for six months? Will he explain to the House and the nation the current status of speed cameras?

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