Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

I fully support the Minister's decision to set up the Road Safety Authority. It will be a single agency with responsibility for a wide range of functions which have a bearing on road safety. It will have the legislative and financial muscle to co-ordinate and advance the road safety agenda through delivery of road safety programmes, such as testing of drivers and vehicles, road safety research and data collection, driver education and the promotion of awareness of road safety in general. The authority will have a significant policy advisory role to the Minister for Transport in the development of road safety policy. In particular, the new authority will have the statutory function of formulating future national road safety strategies, having taken inputs from all the relevant stakeholders. It will submit such strategies to the Minister for formal Government approval.

I previously mentioned the challenges we face. These challenges, improved driver behaviour, acceptance of traffic rules, tougher enforcement, greater personal responsibility and appreciation of other road users, are at the heart of road safety. We all have a role to play and must all take responsibility. I fully support the Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, in his efforts to finally establish an organisation that will result in the road safety agenda being addressed and I believe he will have wide support for that.

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