Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

As someone who travels on the M1 at least once or twice every week, I can also be assured, as I am sure the Minister can also, that the car or vehicle behind speeding aggressively and dangerously will have a Northern Ireland registration. People's lives are put at risk every day because of drivers from the North coming down here and driving in the most dangerous fashion. They have no fear because no penalty will be imposed on them. I am aware that the same is true of drivers from the South in Northern Ireland - I want to be very clear on that point.

In the absence of this primary legislation and the complications that exist, I believe that, if possible, the Minister should meet with his justice counterparts, North and South, to sort this out and see whether the gardaí need extra powers to stop and seize these cars. These drivers thumb their noses and just continue to get away with it. They flash everyone out of the way while travelling at speeds of up to 160 kph every day. Will the Minister agree that in the interim this needs to be dealt with effectively by taking such vehicles into custody, if necessary?

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