Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this legislation. I wish to raise a number of issues with the Minister. The first issue concerns driving licences. The new credit-card-style driving licences have been promised for a long number of years and are eventually being introduced. I understand a microchip is to be included on the new licence, but I am disappointed that no provision is being made to include a facility for an ICE number to be included on the current licences so that where somebody is involved in a road traffic accident the next of kin can be contacted. The number should be there so that the services can be provided with information in regard to particular medical needs etc.

I understand that what we should do once the chip is introduced on driving licences is to include basic medical data such as blood group, allergies etc. The difficulty now is that some deaths are due to a delay in the provision of the necessary medical care because doctors must wait until they have discovered whether road traffic victims are allergic to a drug or have some other complication. I urge the Minister to ensure that when the revised driving licences are issued, basic information like this is included.

Last week during the debate on the Fines (Payment and Recovery) Bill, Deputy Terence Flanagan pointed out that the Bill does not provide for fines to be attached to social welfare payments. Therefore, if a person on social welfare accrues a fine, that fine cannot be taken, even by a couple of euro a week, from his or her social welfare payment. I know it is planned to make provision in the legislation for recovery of sums paid through the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland. However, I hope provision is made to recover some moneys through social welfare. While it may be only a small amount of money on a weekly basis, it is a matter of principle. If people are in receipt of social welfare, they should not believe they can get away scot free if they do not have insurance. I hope provision is made to recoup such fines.

Another issue is one I raised with the Minister of State on previous legislation. It concerns an anomaly within the NCT regulations that does not allow for a waiver for medical reasons. I gave an example here previously of a young man from County Roscommon who is photosensitive and who requires specific tinted windows on his car transport. The HSE paid for the tinting of the windows on his car, but when it went for its NCT it failed on account of having tinted windows. The family was told it would have to remove the tinted windows for it to pass the NCT and that they could then get the windows retinted. There should be flexibility in such circumstances where there is a valid medical reason to support special treatment. The NCT should be issued in such cases. I have been told there is a requirement to change the existing legislation, but for some bizarre reason the Department seems hesitant to do that. If there is a need to amend the primary legislation to deal with this issue, I urge the Minister to do it, in this legislation if possible. Otherwise, I urge him to ensure the regulations are changed to allow the necessary flexibility so that families do not end up in silly situations such as this.

In general, I welcome this legislation. Deputy Mitchell will recall that we spoke a long time ago about introducing a log book for novice drivers - the Minister was probably in short pants at the time - to provide for reduced blood alcohol levels and reduced penalty points for novice drivers after passing their tests.

I am glad this has been introduced and that the Road Safety Authority has taken it up. I have not always agreed with Noel Brett, but his heart has always been in the right place. He has been very dedicated to the cause and I commend him for the tremendous work he has done in establishing the Road Safety Authority and driving it though its first years.

We have seen significant reductions in road fatalities. There has been a blip this year but we have seen a significant reduction. The insurance industry has over the years argued if road traffic accidents decreased and fatalities decreased insurance costs would also decrease. We have seen a dramatic reduction in the number of fatalities, accidents and injuries but we have not seen the type of reduction in the cost of insurance, in particular the cost of insurance for young drivers and young male drivers. There is a responsibility on the insurance industry to live up to it is part of the bargain. Now it states because it cannot make margins on the stock market that young drivers should have to foot the bill. This is not fair. We have improved our fatality rate and reduced the accident rate and it is about time the insurance industry pulled up its socks on the issue.

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