Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)

I agree with Deputy Walsh. There has been a great deal of cross-party support. Much progress has been made over several years on reducing deaths on the roads and everybody, especially the previous Minister, Mr. Noel Dempsey, deserves much praise. The number of deaths on the roads has been decreased from approximately 600 when I started tracking the figures to below 200 now, for the first time since records began.

I listened to Deputy Healy-Rae's contribution earlier. He spoke as if it is alright to have a couple of pints down the road and drive home in the evening. It is not. The reason the number of deaths on the road has decreased is that there has been a hard line against drink driving and it is no longer tolerated. For earlier generations, especially my generation when I started drinking, it was accepted one would have a few pints and drive home and I am delighted we have moved far away from that and that it is no longer tolerated that one would get behind the wheel of a car and drive home. It is not acceptable, especially by young people.

I accept what Deputy Healy-Rae said about the effects on small rural pubs. He spoke of suicide and depression. As far as I am concerned, alcohol has caused far more depression and suicide than has the lack of a few pints for those who would have to drive home from the pub. I do not accept that argument at all. He mentioned this urban-rural divide where when he is down in Kerry he is stopped and breathalysed. From 7 a.m. in the morning to late in the evening, I have been breathalysed on the way home three times in the past year. I welcome it. I am delighted to see that level of enforcement. It is through enforcement that we have decreased the number of deaths on the roads.

On the national media, I was looking at the newspapers this evening and read where they are giving out about enforcement of speed limits in the city.

There were no deaths - not a single one - on the roads of Dublin city between June and the end of September. That had not happened in the city since records began.

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