Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

Some 33 additional personnel have been allocated to the Garda traffic corps in 2005, giving a total current strength of 565. I can break the figures down by county. There is one additional garda for Clare, one inspector for Cork city, one garda for Limerick, one for Roscommon and so on. That is the reality.

Let me deal with penalty points, which some people have described as a sham. They worked initially because they were announced with a fanfare and people believed they were real, but they are not real. The assistant commissioner told the committee that the Garda Síochána is currently operating the fixed-charge penalty points system primarily on a manual basis. The new IT system is operating in Dublin, Cork city and parts of the Louth-Meath division. The Garda organisation is in readiness for national roll-out of the fixed charge processing system. However, actual roll-out is dependent upon the signing of the contract for the out-sourcing of payments. That information was given to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business on 19 October last, so it is not exactly ancient history. The penalty points system is not fully in place and is not working. Worst of all, somewhat like the boy who cried wolf, because it was announced when it did not have weight or effect, when it actually becomes effective, people will be immune to it and the process will have to begin all over again. This is a shame.

The key recommendation of the National Safety Council is for an integrated strategy. There is no overall budget or driver for the strategy. My colleague spoke about the need for a fixed road safety authority with power and teeth to co-ordinate and drive and with a budget. I gave the instance of what happened in France where President Chirac, a man I do not normally quote in a positive way, drove an agenda that reduced road deaths. We need that same commitment. With no disrespect to the Minister of State present, I share the despair of my colleague, Deputy Shortall, that it is a Minister of State rather than one of the three line Cabinet Ministers with responsibility in this area who presents himself in this House.

I could say much more but, unfortunately, time has expired. This is an area on which we all need to work together. It is not a party political issue. We need to have the moral determination to achieve what is achievable and to save lives.

See this speech in context