Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

That is correct — if there were new ones, subsequently, that were not included in a local authority's by-laws to start with.

The Bill, in addition to addressing the major policy issues I have outlined, provides for a number of necessary initiatives that will help to bring clarity to a number of areas, with particular attention being paid to deterrents.

Section 2 will allow for the use of regulations under the Road Traffic Acts to be used for the purpose of transposing EU legislative initiatives into Irish law. This provision is necessary following the determination by the Supreme Court in the Browne and Kennedy judgment.

Sections 14 and 15 provide for the introduction of a number of changes to the fixed charge system, which include the capacity of applying the system to the offences that have been recently created under the European Communities regulations relating to the use of seat belts and child restraint systems and which replaced similar regulations made under the Road Traffic Acts. Other new fixed charge offences being introduced in section 14 relate to road transport operator licensing rules. This provision means that freight and passenger transport operators can, under regulations to be made by the Minister for Transport, face fixed charges for operating illegally and, very importantly, for breaking tachograph and excessive driving hours rules. There are obvious safety benefits that should flow from that. This provision also allows the Department's transport officers, who will move to the Road Safety Authority when it is formally established, to issue fixed charge notices for these types of offences, thus extending even further the number and range of officers enforcing road safety laws.

Section 16 introduces changes to the penalty points system that are also targeted at the application of that system to the new seat belt and child restraint offences and sees the application of the system to offences relating to the use of mobile phones and offences relating to bridge strikes, as I have already indicated. Section 19 provides for the extension of the powers available to the Garda to detain uninsured vehicles to vehicles that are registered in states other than Ireland. This is an issue that many colleagues have previously raised in the House.

Section 20 provides for the restatement of section 115 of the Road Traffic Act 1961, to provide that the offence relating to the making of false declarations will be extended to reflect the various changes made to road traffic laws over the past 45 years regarding licences, permits and certificates. Section 21 makes minor changes to the Taxi Regulation Act 2003 to facilitate the development of a superannuation scheme by the Commission for Taxi Regulation and to clarity certain provisions in section 36 of that Act, which refers to mandatory disqualification from holding or applying for a licence by a person who has committed one of a range of serious offences.

The key determinant of road safety performance is the behaviour of road users. The primary focus of our road safety strategy is to influence positively the behaviour of road users. This can be attained through initiatives across a range of areas, including the enactment and enforcement of laws that promote road user behaviour. Such laws must also be underpinned and supported by the application of fines, prison sentences and driving disqualifications. This Bill is one element of the programme for the advancement of road safety that will deliver the gains that society requires, whether in the short, medium or long term. Over the past two years major institutional changes have taken place that will support that requirement. The establishment of the dedicated Garda traffic corps and the allocation to that force of an additional 60 officers per quarter represents a very significant level of delivery on the Government's commitment to meet the immediate challenges presented by those who continue to commit traffic offences.

The recent passage of legislation to provide for the establishment of the Road Safety Authority is testament to the need for a radical approach to the development of future road safety policy. That approach is also supported by the separate establishment of a special ministerial committee on road safety, chaired by me, to promote cross-cutting road safety issues and at which all of the relevant Ministers are afforded the opportunity to address issues of immediate importance in a collective and systematic way.

The Bill presented to the House today is targeted at very specific areas in respect of which there is a particular urgency. When taken with the institutional changes mentioned above, the Bill marks a significant watershed in the deployment of road safety policy. Deputies will appreciate that there is a particular urgency which the Government wishes to see applied to the passage of the Bill. In particular, we wish to allow for the early deployment of mandatory alcohol testing and to begin the process for the engagement of private interests in the operation of the speed camera programme. I am sure Deputies will make very worthwhile suggestions for initiatives in the area of road safety that do not fall within the parameters I have set for this Bill. Any such suggestions will be considered very carefully and it is my intention to return to the House with a further road traffic Bill before the end of the year. I look forward to the co-operation of members in facilitating passage of the Bill. I commend the Bill to the House.

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