Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy Mitchell for proposing this motion. Many people in the country will follow this debate with interest. We are not winning the battle on road safety. I listened with great interest to Mr. Eddie Shaw of the National Safety Council when he addressed the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport last week. His comments on how road safety matters are handled, managed and executed were scathing. His premise was that no strategic planning exists, as many of my colleagues have stated. No cohesion exists between stakeholders and no targets have been set to measure achievements. Mr. Shaw's comments described the problems of the system and many of my colleagues have referred to this. I assume the Minister of State agrees with the description and if this is the case, there is a need for much quick thinking and faster action.

I listened to the Minister for Transport when he appeared before the Joint Committee on Transport last week. As any Minister would, he proceeded to outline the great achievements of the Government and some minor achievements can be identified. He did not mention Ireland's pathetic record within the EU. Fatalities on our roads increased by 13% at a time when every other country in the EU had an average decrease of 7%. How can this be described as progress? The Minister did not tell us that the Garda budget for technical aspects of the job was more in 2000 than it was in 2004. The budget decreased by approximately €200,000 in that period and these figures have been provided in response to parliamentary questions.

The introduction of penalty points was positive but the public caught on. People realised the chances of being caught were slim or non-existent. If the Government is not able to enforce a law, the consequences are clear. What happened to 2,000 extra gardaí promised by various Ministers and the Taoiseach? They will not be in the force for several years and all the Government speaks of is further legislation.

Minor roads, to which a speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour applies, resemble Mondello Park. No speed detection exists on these roads, which have become the new highways. I agree with my colleagues that driver testing is the greatest joke of all time.

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