Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill and commend Deputy Olivia Mitchell on introducing it. I understand the Government intends to accept it, which is unique. This will deny us that rare opportunity to vote and show what good citizens we are and how well we represent our local communities.

It is important to note that mobile phones form an integral part of society. They have revolutionised how we communicate with each other. No matter where one goes one sees somebody holding a phone to his or her ear as if it was an extension of his or her ear. That is the way life has gone. Regrettably, we see it far too often in the case of motorists. While mobile phones are convenient, when one drives a car while using a hand-held mobile phone, it is possible one can do much more harm than good. We should also not forget that mobile phones fitted to a car also pose a distraction. It is important that the convenience of mobile phones outweighs the hazards they can cause or pose.

There is the notion of inattentive driving, as in the case of a lady applying her make-up or using a hand-held mobile phone. However, there is another aspect, a concept whereby we are following the example of Americans, in respect of which we should introduce a Bill at a later stage. A recent statistic showed that Americans tended to eat 33% of their meals while driving in their cars. The development of drive-through outlets and takeaways without the provision of car parking spaces infers that people will pull into a drive-through outlet, order their meals and drive off while eating them. That is an equally, if not a more, dangerous practice. We should examine the introduction of some legislative measure to address it.

I recently saw advertisements for in-car technology, with the promotion of global positioning systems and navigational displays on a small mobile phone screen. One merely presses a few buttons to find the route for one's journey. The one aspect that baffles me is how people can see where they are going in using this mobile global positioning system. The only way one can do so adequately is by pulling over to the side of the road.

Eating in cars presents another danger, as does looking after children in the back seat, particularly where they are jumping about. The level of seat-belt compliance must also be increased. These are issues that must be addressed in conjunction with dealing with the use of mobile phones in cars.

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