Batt O'Keeffe (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank Members from all sides for their contributions to what has been an open and interesting debate on road safety. I am particularly encouraged by the acknowledgement of a number of speakers, in particular Deputies Olivia Mitchell and Shortall, that road safety is an area of public policy that should not be the subject of political point scoring.

Deputy Shortall listed a range of issues referred to in the road safety strategy where she claims progress has not been made. As the Minister of State, Deputy Callely, pointed out in his contribution yesterday evening, progress has already been made across a range of key areas identified in the strategy. He also confirmed that the Government remains fully focused on the delivery of the overall range of initiatives that are scheduled for delivery within the planning horizon established for the strategy.

The issue of random breath testing was referred to in the contributions of many Members, including Deputies Olivia Mitchell, Shortall, Jim O'Keeffe and Coveney. Deputy Shortall also raised the question of the charge imposed following conviction for drink driving offences.

The first road safety strategy, which related to the period 1998 to 2002, indicated that while the Government would consider the possibility of some change to the position that prevailed in advance of the publication of that strategy, it did not envisage the adoption of the unqualified application of random breath testing by the end of the period in question. Subsequently, the Road Traffic Acts were amended to provide that the Garda Síochána may require that all drivers involved in road collisions or detected committing any traffic offences must submit to roadside breath tests. This is in addition to the power to demand that a driver who, in the opinion of a garda, has consumed alcohol must submit to such a test.

The road safety strategy acknowledges that the absence of full random breath testing places unnecessary constraints on the Garda Síochána in its capacity to enforce drink-driving laws. The Government is pursuing the recommendation in the strategy by seeking to identify an approach that would be the most appropriate for this country. The Minister for Transport has offered to meet the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Transport and the transport spokespersons of the political parties to discuss this issue so a formula that crosses political boundaries can be identified.

The proposal in the road safety strategy to advance random breath testing represents one of a number of linked initiatives in the area of drink driving that will be pursued together. These include the introduction of an administrative disqualification as an alternative to a court appearance for certain drink driving offences, an increase in the disqualification periods which apply to drink driving and an increase in the charge imposed by the courts on those convicted of drink driving as a contribution towards the costs of the medical bureau of road safety in carrying out its analysis.

Deputies have referred to the question of motorcyclists on provisional licences being obliged to display L-plates. In line with the commitment given in the Road Safety Strategy 2004 — 2006, a requirement will be introduced that motorcyclists with a provisional licences display L-plates in common with other provisional licence holders.

With regard to training of motorcyclists, the strategy states that it is the intention over the course of the relevant period to introduce compulsory initial practical training for motorcyclists before they are permitted to drive alone on a public road. Primary legislation is necessary to facilitate the introduction of such training for motorcyclists and it is proposed to include the appropriate amendment on Committee Stage of the Driver Testing and Standards Authority Bill 2004. As indicated by the Minister of State, Deputy Callely, last night, this Bill will be re-titled the Road Safety Authority Bill.

The registration of driving and motorcycle instructors will involve a test of the competence of individual instructors. Responsibility for the implementation of a system of registration will rest with the new road safety authority, as will responsibility for overseeing the introduction of compulsory initial practical training for motorcyclists. A prerequisite for the introduction of such training will be a registration system for motorcycle instructors who will deliver such training.

Deputies Olivia Mitchell and Coveney referred to the area of drugs and driving. The Road Traffic Acts provide that a member of the Garda Síochána may, where he or she is of the opinion that a person in charge of a mechanically propelled vehicle in a public place is under the influence of a drug or drugs to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of that vehicle, require that person to submit to a blood test or to provide a urine sample, which will then be subject to analysis by the medical bureau of road safety.

Currently, there is no feasible basis for the introduction of a scheme of preliminary roadside testing for drugs. However, screening devices based on oral fluid specimens are being developed for the purpose of carrying out roadside drug testing. Such testing devices are in prototype stages and the medical bureau of road safety is keeping abreast of developments in this area.

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