Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

Advertising is essential for the RSA, particularly in the context of encouraging people to drive slowly and with care. The Minister, Deputy O'Dowd and I attended a presentation made by Mr. Gay Byrne, Mr. Noel Brett and their staff in respect of some extremely effective, if horrific, advertisements which made the point with regard to speeding. Cutting the budget of the RSA in this manner is reprehensible.

Since the turn of the century, almost 3,000 people have died on our roads. That is a shocking statistic. In 50, 80 or 100 years' time, people will look back and ask why we put up with such a high level of fatalities. The situation is crazy. Most citizens would agree that 90% to 95% of road accidents and fatalities result from speeding.

The Leas-Cheann Comhairle hit upon the nub of the problem we often have in invigilating the Department of Transport when he indicated that Garda overtime is a matter for another Minister. Deputy Dempsey is the Minister for Transport. During the lifetime of this Government and its predecessors, promises have been continually made with regard to the roll-out of speed cameras. Information provided by Deputy Deenihan and others throughout the country indicates that the programme of rolling out speed cameras has been discontinued as a result of Government cutbacks. The 1,200-member traffic corps and the network of speed cameras are essential if we are to end the culture of speeding. It is shocking that almost 3,000 people have died on our roads since the turn of the millennium.

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