Donie Cassidy (Westmeath, Fianna Fail)

I wish to share time with Deputy McGuinness. I will be brief as much ground has been covered. I am Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise and Small Business and we have been carrying out work with regard to the insurance industry. It is of the utmost importance that this Bill passes through all Stages before the summer recess. Some 350,000 drivers are still waiting to obtain full licences. People have waited long over their time in terms of what they require.

I compliment the Minister and Government on bringing this legislation before the House. Four Bills were promised to deal with insurance. The Personal Injuries Assessment Board was established and the Civil Liability and Courts Act, which dealt with fraudulence, came before the House. Those who make fraudulent claims will be punished and fined and made to pay the entire costs for any claim found to be fraudulent. This is the last of the four promised health and safety Bills and I congratulate the Taoiseach and Government on what they are doing.

There are between 60,000 and 70,000 uninsured vehicles in Ireland at this time which is unacceptable. Some 375,000 drivers are without full licences. A significant tightening up is required. I am calling for the speedy establishment of the traffic corps which we witnessed first hand in New York where it has proved very successful. The monitoring of the penalty points system has been lax since the first six months of its introduction. It was initially a great success, but people know it is not being monitored in the way they expected and are adding another five and ten miles to their speed. As a result of its traffic corps, crime in certain parts of New York fell by 30% because criminals had to get from A to B.

These are some of the points we have picked up and gained experienced of in the course of our insurance inquiry and I bring them to the attention of the Minister of State. I wish the Bill a speedy passage.

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