Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Bill and thank the Minister for the priority he has given to road safety. This Bill implements many of the measures he has advocated since taking up office.

Early January brought particularly dangerous conditions to our roads. We must be particularly aware of vulnerable road users, such as school children and pedestrians. As motorists, we have a collective responsibility to take care. I am thinking in particular of the death of four young students north of Milltown in County Galway.

The €34 billion invested in roads under Transport 21 has brought major benefits not only for road quality, but also balanced regional development. The opening by the Minister of the last leg of the Dublin-Galway motorway was most welcome in this regard. With Dublin as the hub, good roads now lead towards Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Belfast. Transport 21 also provides for the Atlantic and Border road corridors.

I commend the Road Safety Authority on its work. Deputy McEntee spoke about the representatives from the authority who go into schools to teach transition year students about road safety.

Speed cameras have been effective but an open and transparent system is needed. Difficulties have arisen in regard to readings by automated cameras. We have often heard similar complaints about electronic tolling.

We would like to have speed limits at schools. In general, there has been a delay in providing speed limits. Endless committees are involved, including the NRA. I hope we will get quicker decisions on the extension of speed limits. One still has speed limits of 80 km/h on small country roads. With a speed limit of 120 km/h on motorways, it can be difficult when one has to quickly reduce to 80 km/h or 60 km/h. That is one of the areas where there are anomalies and inconsistencies.

Much debate has taken place about a reduction in blood alcohol levels. The Road Safety Authority came up with the current proposals that have been the subject of much debate in rural areas. Among the transport issues that were raised, the rural transport scheme was mooted as a possible solution. That was a good suggestion but it was ridiculed in many organs of the media. There is no doubt more taxis are needed in rural areas, and that is starting to happen. I commend the publicans who have taken steps to provide transport for their customers. I look forward to further improvements because the overall objective is to reduce road deaths and serious injuries. Driver behaviour must be changed. It is important that information is provided for transition year students. They should be informed about road safety.

The Minister and the RSA outlined that the authorities in Northern Ireland were advocating a reduction in the blood alcohol limit from 80 mg to 50 mg. It is important that the same blood alcohol limit applies on both sides of the Border.

The Bill refers to foreign driving licences. I welcome the transfer of penalty points to one's country of origin. Foreign licences should become every bit as accessible to the Garda as an Irish licence. When penalty points are awarded I hope they apply immediately for a three-year period. I hear complaints from constituents that it is several months before the points are applied.

Another issue that arises relates to journeys from Galway city to Dublin Airport, where three toll charges are involved on each leg of the journey. I hope we can put a package together to reduce the cost to drivers on that route. Some of the companies involved might be examining the matter. The Minister referred to alternative routes. I accept that collecting a toll electronically is expensive. The motorist pays the piper. Initially it was difficult to get one's tokens for the M50 toll. Many businesses have extended the number of outlets providing them. Signs near Athlone and Ballinasloe refer to it being one's last opportunity to buy petrol or diesel before getting on the motorway. I hope they also provide an opportunity to pay the toll on the M50 because if one does not pay within 48 hours the charge doubles and over a longer period the charge can rise to more than €100. It is important that the situation is sorted out and that notification is sent to people in good time so that there is no delay in receiving the demand for payment. Consideration should be given to people who have to travel on long journeys involving many toll bridges. I am pleased that no toll bridges were proposed by the Minister for the public private partnership arrangement on the road from Gort to Tuam, taking in Oranmore and Claregalway. I very much welcome that.

It is important to have service stations along motorways. I am pleased to hear the matter will be addressed in the not too distant future. We need places to stop. Tiredness is a problem for motorists. I hope service stations will be provided.

I note also the huge increase in the number of vehicles on the road. Statistics suggested the number had doubled in the 12 years up to 2006. Given that situation we need car testing. There is much emphasis on older cars. Perhaps the figures have become inflated because some owners of cars more than ten years of age go for the test and then get the specific problem fixed before going back to re-sit the test. That is an area that could be examined.

I welcome the Bill. The Minister has shown his commitment to road safety. He has taken the advice of the RSA. He has an ambitious and comprehensive programme for the current road safety strategy for the period up to 2012. I wish him well with the legislation.

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