Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

——in terms of speed, the consumption of alcohol and everything else that goes to ensure road safety and good driving. I take this opportunity to congratulate our young people on their responsible attitude in the manner in which they go about their driving. I hope the insurance companies will acknowledge that and accommodate them by offering them more appropriate renewal premiums. In response to such a request the insurance companies will point out that they must examine the statistics and that when there is an improvement in that respect they might be able to accommodate that request. I hope that working together we will be able to continue to make the types of developments we have witnessed such as the one to which I referred regarding the responsible attitude of young motorists.

The National Safety Council has developed a number of educational programmes for pupils of primary and secondary schools. The Garda Síochána has a great programme in place involving a limited number of personnel. The Garda Commissioner might consider increasing the number of gardaí involved in that safety programme. There are great programmes available to schools. The National Safety Council focuses on younger road users. A strategy of its safety awareness campaign is that it is very much directed at the young driver.

A number of Deputies referred to a captive audience among secondary school pupils in transition year in terms of participating in such programmes. I support the view that this opportunity should be explored in greater detail.

A noted driver with a successful track record in motoring, particularly in rallying driving, and a good friend of mine, Rosemary Smith, has been promoting a programme for some time that would be of enormous benefit if targeted at transition year students. A difficulty in introducing such a programme, as pointed out by a number of Deputies, would be the manner in which it could be rolled out nationally. While we can examine that, there are other steps we could take to explore opportunities, particularly in co-operation with the National Safety Council, the Garda Síochána and the Department of Education and Science, in regard to the curriculum and opportunity presented in transition year.

Deputy Stanton referred to the opportunity presented in this area during transition year and he referred to substance abuse. He referred to two other points to which I wish to refer, one being the impact of tiredness on motorists. I clearly signal that tiredness can kill, a point to which Deputy Stanton alluded. I encourage local authorities to place a warning sign to this effect — as I have witnessed in some counties but more particularly overseas — in their catchment areas. Records show that tiredness can kill. Deputy Stanton also referred to pedestrians and cyclists. I encourage local authorities to favourably examine pedestrian and cycling strategies as these are important factors if we are to encourage people to walk and to cycle, a point to which the Deputy alluded.

Deputy Cassidy raised the issue of the cost of motor insurance. I am pleased to inform the House that I have had one to one meetings with the chief executive of each insurance company operating in Ireland and I have also had a round table meeting on this issue. I am progressing in such interaction with the insurance companies to address a number of issues to which Deputy Cassidy referred.

Deputy McGuinness referred to the Garda traffic corps, school bus transport and signage. Good progress has been made in regard to the Garda traffic corps. I do not know the exact number of personnel who were in the Garda traffic corps but it was approximately 300 and we are increasing that number to just shy of 500. We have a target to increase the number of personnel to 1,200. We have put a management structure in place in this regard including an Assistant Commissioner, an inspector and so on. We have also begun to improve the supports that are available by way of vehicles as well as through information technology and so forth. The establishment of the traffic corps is under way and it is to be hoped we will see the benefits.

School bus transport has always been a matter of major concern. I again sympathise with those involved in the Kentstown tragedy. That has put a particular focus on school bus transport. I am pleased to inform the House that my Department, along with the Department of Education and Science and others, is determined to be as proactive as possible to ensure that the best international standards prevail in school bus transport. I must be cautious as we are awaiting the reports of the investigation arising out of the Kentstown incident and I hope these will be available as soon as possible.

I refer to two other issues raised by Deputy McGuinness. One is signage. I support the view that directional and safety signage are important and can be of great additional benefit. We are talking about very small money in this regard, so it is not a financial issue.

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