Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I compliment Deputy O'Dowd on introducing this timely motion. Every year for the past few years there have been many fatalities on our roads in the festive season. I agree wholeheartedly with the contents of the motion.

I cannot understand why there is so little co-operation between the agencies charged with responsibility for road maintenance and safety. That was highlighted by the recent statement from the National Roads Authority, NRA, that it has decided unilaterally to eliminate the provision of 11 strategically placed rest areas from its roads programme. This is being done, despite the fact that it has been highlighted many times that at least 200 deaths over the past five years have been attributed to driver fatigue. How can the NRA reconcile that decision with its commitment to road safety? Is this another instance of the NRA being out of the Minister's control?

Local authorities must play a greater role in ensuring road safety, for example, the markings on many roads, particularly minor ones where many fatalities have occurred, are either inadequate or absent. This would not require high expenditure or a blaze of headlines in the media but could dramatically reduce fatalities.

As we approach the deadline by which drivers must have full licences, we must consider elderly people who, through no fault of their own, are under stress because they must undergo a driving test. Will the Minister afford some degree of leniency or an exemption to those people? In a rural area when the driver spouse of an elderly couple dies, the remaining spouse is left without transport to the shop or the town. The prospect for that person of doing the driving test causes unnecessary anxiety. One way or another we should consider this. The motion is timely, by and large, and I hope it helps in some way to alert drivers over the coming festive season and reduce traffic deaths.

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