Dáil debates

Wednesday, 24 February 2010

Road Traffic Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed)

 

6:00 am

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

The Bill on its own is not the answer. The cuts to public transport services must be reversed. Further cuts need be to be revisited and initiatives should be considered. One initiative would fall under the remit of the Road Safety Authority and the Minister for Transport. There is a gadget that prevents a car's ignition being turned if a driver is over the limit. Some insurance companies have encouraged new cars to have such a device. This legislature could set that as a minimum requirement for all new cars being sold. It is a matter for legislation and should be considered. I do not know how successful the mechanism is, but I have seen it promoted. Perhaps we should consider setting a new standard for cars being sold on the Irish market and throughout the European Union as a whole so that we can ensure people - even if they wanted to - could not get behind the wheel of a car.

Sa deireadh thiar, níl aon loighic leis an méid atá an Rialtas tar éis a dhéanamh maidir le seirbhísí iompair poiblí. Tá gá láithreach le infheistiú substaintiúil sna seirbhísí seo, seirbhísí poiblí, ní amháin do thairbhe an timpeallacht ach i dtaca leis an cheist atá á plé againn anseo. Tá, dar ndóigh, athrú cultúir i gceist. Cultúr ólacháin atá sa tír faoi láthair agus síleann daoine go bhfuil gá dóibh a bheith dearg ar meisce chun sult a bhaint as an saol. Chomh maith le sin, síleann go leor acu go bhfuil sé de cheart acu tiomáint abhaile. Is tragóideach ar fad é an líon daoine óga, ach go háirithe, atá tar éis bás a fháil le blianta beaga anuas ar a mbealach abhaile ón teach tábhairne nó ó rince. Caithfear stop a chur leis an slad sin. Cuideoidh an Bille seo, ach ní féidir leis an obair iomlán a dhéanamh. Caithfidh an tAire agus an Rialtas díriú isteach ar na ceisteanna móra - córas taistil, acmhainní don Gharda Síochána agus infheistiú ceart i mbóithre na tíre. Muna dheineann siad an infheistiú sin agus muna dheisíonn siad na bóithre, cosnóidh sé i bhfad níos mó ar an Stát go fadtéarmach, mar tosóidh na bóithre ag titim as a chéile go hiomlán agus beidh ar an Stát iad a athnuachan ar chostas i bhfad níos mó. Molaim an Bille seo. Tá súil agam nach gnáth Bille é agus go ndéanfar beart de réir briathar chomh luath agus a mbeidh sé rite.

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