Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

I am sorry.

On minor roads the speed limit is 110 km/h in rural areas. On the Bray dual carriageway the limit is 60 km/h and gardaí try to catch people speeding there. In some parts of Europe there are large signs warning drivers that checks are in operation for the following 20 km. That reduces speeding. Instead of trying to catch people we should encourage them not to speed.

I support the effort to stop people drinking and driving. Nothing has been done, however, about the drug problem. The after dinner brandy has been replaced by a line of cocaine. Middle class people do this. These people are the cause of the large scale importation of drugs into the country and of gangland crime.

If there are 14,000 gardaí in the force there are only at most 3,500 operating at any given time. It is time to discuss the outdated system of three shifts with the Garda Representative Association and Garda management. There should be more gardaí on the streets when they are needed and, if necessary, I will pay for this service through my taxes.

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