Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

The issue of road safety comes close to one when someone near and dear is involved. Only last week, a man whom I knew well was killed on a national primary road outside Monaghan.

The north east was unique in that it was the only area which had permanent safety camera boxes. However, only three cameras were circulated among them. It is high time this was rolled out nationally. It is also important that people are not aware of where the cameras are positioned or that they are permanent or otherwise.

Operation of the safety cameras will be given over to a private company. I am concerned it will position the cameras on easy touches rather than in dangerous spots. It should be seen as a programme to prevent accidents, not as a cash cow.

Fine Gael supports the penalty points system and the push for a downward trend in road fatalities. We urge the law be changed as it contains fundamental errors. Many offending drivers are not being dealt with and the courts have been clogged up. The problem is exemplified by those with non-Irish driving licences not being dealt with by the courts. A better system must be put in place to ensure all drivers who break the law are dealt with.

Frequent users of the M1 often witness drivers from Northern Ireland and others with foreign-registered cars flout the law. Garda figures show even those drivers caught offending by speed cameras will not be affected. While through my involvement with the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body, I appreciate that progress is being made towards an all-Ireland approach, the obstacles to achieving this are significant but must be overcome if lives are to be saved. No one, no matter where he or she is from, or who he or she is, should be above the law. I recently saw a Government car exceeding the speed limit outside a national school by over 30 km/h. This is not a good example for the public.

The state of our national and regional roads contributes to some serious accidents. Seldom a day goes by without one or more of these roads being closed because of such accidents.

Those who make long journeys should be provided with rest areas. I have tried to raise questions about this but no one in the House seems to take responsibility for this problem. The Government and the European Commission should insist on maximum driving times. The Government, through local authorities, should take responsibility for the serious lack of rest areas and rectify this situation. Tiredness causes accidents. There is nowhere for a tourist or lorry driver, driving from Belfast, through Monaghan and the midlands to Kerry, to rest. We are told rest areas cannot be provided along a national primary road.

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