Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

The public is openly measuring our performance, as are the Opposition and the media. Hence, performance measurement cannot be avoided. The issues are quite clear. People's perceptions of the success or otherwise of our performance is clear. I agree with some, if not all, of their points. It is becoming difficult to have no more than 300 deaths on our roads in 2006. Given the bad start to the year, that figure is becoming more unlikely.

I suggest including a prescriptive requirement in regard to the determination of annual targets which could have a negative influence on the pursuit of strategy objectives. In the past, all-consuming aspects have become a narrow focus whereby everything is geared towards achieving a figure, and one loses the whole context of what one is trying to do in a programme. Achievements appear to be all about statistics and smoke and mirrors. However, I agree with Deputies that the independent-minded people who have been appointed to the authority will not operate in that vein.

Deputy Mitchell raised an interesting point. It is vital to know what is happening on our roads. It is too simplistic to say someone crashed into a wall, someone was speeding or someone had drink taken. Other countries carry out a much more in-depth examination into the causes of accidents. The chairman of the new road safety authority raised this issue with me and said it is something he wants to pursue. There needs to be a holistic approach to this factual information. The chairman wants to examine what went on in the two or three hours before a person was killed. He wants to know what they were doing, for example whether they were in hospital or in a distressed state. If one has this information when managing a programme, one can fundamentally target it rather than just working on the basis of anecdotal evidence. The chairman said he wants to put resources into establishing these facts. For the first time, we have given all the statistical information to one body, rather than giving responsibility to three or four bodies. However, he wants to go much further. My attitude is that it is the road safety authority's call on a whole range of issues. Equally, he is very exercised about the whole driver testing aspect, as is the chief executive. This is a much bigger issue in terms of tackling the idea of people driving with some kind of a licence, going for a test on a provisional licence, failing it and then getting back in the car and driving off merrily. There is no doubt that how one gets a licence and what it entitles one to do merits a root and branch examination. The system is nowhere near the best of international standards. The chief executive and the chairman have said that how to tackle this is a core issue. They made it abundantly clear that they want to begin in that vein. In parallel with that, we must end the current driving test backlog. Everyone accepts the current system does not have the capacity to do so. I must seek outside assistance for a short period to resolve the issue. This may lead to examining more fundamentally the driving instruction system.

While not wanting to be prescriptive, the remit under sections 7 and 8 is very broad. The members of the authority can call in whoever they like because there will be no limitations on them. I understand why the Deputies have taken this approach. However, mine is a much broader approach and I will not be prescriptive. I believe on balance we have achieved the correct approach.

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