Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

The main provisions of the Bill refer specifically to the lowering of alcohol limits, that is, blood-alcohol concentration, mandatory testing of drivers and the driving of dangerously defective vehicles on our roads. When the previous Road Traffic Act was introduced earlier this year, it was not possible to address these issues because the required equipment was not in place in Garda stations. The legislation must be enacted before the new alcohol limits are introduced at the end of this month.

It is timely that the Bill is passing through the House this week given that the Road Safety Authority has designated next week road safety week. The legislation is also timely because statistics show that the highest number of fatalities occur in the months ahead. We will shortly set our clocks back for the winter months. As is borne out by statistics, a high number of road fatalities regrettably occur at this time of the year.

Many factors result in road fatalities. In recent years, we have focused strongly on alcohol and its effects on the level of fatalities and serious injuries on the roads. We should take time to examine the consequences of passing this legislation.

I pay tribute to the Garda Síochána, not only for its daily work on road safety but also its contribution to the Road Safety Authority's excellent online resource which maps accidents throughout the country, ranging from fatalities to serious incidents to minor incidents. This is an excellent resource which is well worth consulting. It is interesting that many of the accident blackspots occur on routes which require further investment. I often wonder what role road engineering could play in improving the incidence of road deaths and serious injuries. The Road Safety Authority's online resource could be used to highlight shortcomings in our road engineering programmes, and further study of it could have a significant impact.

The National Roads Authority is reducing funding for road schemes. While the inter-urban routes have been completed, much work remains to be done. I refer specifically to the N22 Cork to Killarney road. The Road Safety Authority's map of road traffic accidents makes for interesting reading in respect of this road. I refer also to the Bantry relief road, for the same reason, for which I would like to see some support.

Insurance figures indicate that for 92% of pedestrians involved in accidents between the hours of 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. drink was involved, in other words, they were intoxicated. This debate is critical for people living in rural Ireland because it must lead to the point where this legislation must be accepted and welcomed. It tells people not to drink and drive. However, people are still being killed on the roads and they are walking, not driving. It is clear that the availability of low-cost alcohol is an issue that must be dealt with, not directly in this legislation but by the Government. If we are serious about improving road death and injury statistics, the pedestrians issue is an obvious one to tackle. There might be other initiatives we might look at. I see a possible role for the Department in asking the drinks industry, for example, to come up with a scheme to provide high visibility vests in public houses. Many people who venture out, particularly in the constituency I represent, leave a public house at night when it is dark. There is no public transport available and, in many cases, no lighting and accidents occur. A minor action such as this could play a role or help to reduce the drink driving fatality or serious injury statistics. It should be taken in conjunction with the legislation.

Another statistic I came across, to which a multi-agency approach might be taken, is that 40% of those convicted of drink driving had previous convictions for serious offences, many unrelated to driving. This issue should be examined. It may be that they come from a different social background. However, the issue is one that merits attention, although it is not clear what the solution might be. There should be closer scrutiny of the statistics.

From time to time the issue of winter and summer time has been raised in the House, as to whether we should change them to be in sync with Central European Time. Efforts and discussions take place with our neighbours across the water. In the House of Commons it has been proposed to align Greenwich Mean Time and Central European Time. Could we undertake studies of this issue? Is there any information available on the possible beneficial effects of having longer and brighter evenings on road safety statistics? That would be an interesting job of work. Perhaps if there were to be a good result from such studies, there might be a case to be made with other Departments on whether we should align with Central European Time.

One of the most difficult aspects is that the drinks industry, vintners in particular, has one of the strongest lobbies and has been against much of this legislation. Obviously, it has a case in regard to its own economics, but no case can be made against the road safety statistics. We must tackle this issue; rather than look solely at drink driving, we must look also at the drink culture in this country. There is a need for a greater element of fairness. In my town and others throughout the country low-cost drink is available to young people and those who may not be used to drinking. They step out onto a street or along a country road and put their lives and those of others at risk. There is no supervision. Vintners' groups will claim they are very careful about their customers and patrons. However, they should not allow them to drink and drive and most are very good in that regard. This move should be supported by other legislation from other Departments which would help in achieving compliance with the legislation.

There are other minor projects that should be undertaken to help to reduce the number of road traffic deaths such as the provision of speed limit signs and better maintenance of signage in country areas. It is 240 miles from the door of Leinster House to my door and I drive, on average, about 60,000 km - 65,000 km per year, on motorways, dual carriageways, national, regional and country roads. I have seen practically everything and one of my bugbears is the local authorities that do not maintain roadside hedging. I do not look for full hedge-cutting programmes but for the maintenance of road signs to ensure visibility.

There are minor issues that could be dealt with in conjunction with the motor industry. Dipped headlights might be kept on at all times or, if that is not possible, vehicles should have dipped lights when the wipers are on.

Although we have focused primarily on drink driving and related legislation which is as it should be, the problem is multifaceted. Now we should focus on other areas. We have reached a point where the statistics clearly show there has been an enormous drop in the number of fatalities at a time when the the blood alcohol content level is 50 mg. We should draw a line under that issue and look elsewhere.

I thank the Minister for the work done to date. It will save lives, but there is much more we could and should do.

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