Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

I will finish then. The financial penalties relating to road traffic offences are reviewed on a regular basis. All fines imposed by the courts were increased in the Road Traffic Act 2002, and the Road Traffic Act 2006 includes further significant increases in all fines, which will be commenced shortly. Indeed, the increases imposed are often in excess of the level of inflation to increase the deterrent effect. This is considered preferable to index-linking fines to inflation. Where fixed charge systems are provided under the Road Traffic Acts, the Minister for Transport has the power to revise charges by regulation.

The Road Traffic Act 2006 presents a significant amendment to the current structures through which a person who has been disqualified from driving may apply to have their licence restored. At present a person who has been disqualified can apply to have his or her licence restored having served only half of the period of the disqualification. The proposals contained in the 2006 Act, which will be commenced shortly on conclusion of the necessary consultation with the Courts Service, are based on the premise that the facility to apply for a reduction in the period should in future only be available to a person who has been the subject of a first disqualification. In addition, it limits the scope for an application to a person who has been the subject of a disqualification of more than two years. The Road Traffic Act 2006 also proposes that an application can only be made to the Circuit Court and that, at a minimum, the person must serve up to two thirds of the period of the original disqualification. We have moved away from the automatic half year. These provisions need to be put into effect and their impact assessed in due course in advanceof introducing any other changes to these measures.

The motivation on all sides of the House is to reduce road deaths and injuries, and I acknowledge that. In this context, a significant number of changes have been introduced in recent months to road traffic legislation and a number of further provisions contained in the Road Traffic Act 2006 will be commenced shortly. All these provisions should be allowed to become operational and their effectiveness assessed over a period of time in advance of introducing further changes.

I spoke earlier about the importance of adopting a strategic approach to road safety and it is in this context that we need to allow the new initiatives which have recently been introduced to take effect. We already see the effect of mandatory alcohol testing checkpoints and the deterrent effect that the enforcement of such checkpoints has generated. We need to concentrate on the roll-out of privatised speed cameras, the enforcement of the extended penalty point system, the improvements to the driver testing and licensing system and the roll-out of the remaining provisions in the Road Traffic Act 2006 before making further adjustments to road traffic law. Furthermore, the most appropriate way of developing new legislative proposals is in the context of the new road safety strategy. Clearly, that will require legislation in the new year.

The Road Safety Authority has been asked to develop a new road safety strategy for the period beyond 2006 and in this context the authority will be bringing forward a range of proposals for consideration, some of which no doubt will require new legislation. I am proposing that further consideration of new road traffic legislation should take place in the early months of next year as part of the process of adopting a new road safety strategy. This is the best way to continue the integrated, strategic approach to road safety, which we have adopted since 1998 and which has been further improved through the creation of one authority with responsibility for a range of road safety functions. I hope Deputy Olivia Mitchell will take on board the points I made.

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