Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

The fact is that the Government gave a commitment in October 2007 to bring in this legislation. We have waited until now, but it still has not come in. There is no reliable method to hold the Government to account here. They made a promise in 2007, but it has not happened.

We all support the road safety campaign and the reduction of deaths that has occurred, but is the Minister of State aware that PARC also received this promise from his predecessor? When his brother was Taoiseach, he gave the same commitment. The reality is that until a driver knows that he will undergo mandatory testing for alcohol and drugs when involved in an accident, there will be no more significant reduction in road deaths. It is not good enough for the Minister of State to say that it is being prepared. It will never happen under his Ministry.

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