Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

A report in this morning's The Irish Timesmade for disturbing reading. Figures from the Road Safety Authority, RSA, show that 521 disqualified drivers have been involved in car crashes that caused serious injury and death. This is unacceptable to us all. In that context, when are the road traffic and database Bills intended to be before the House? I hope the Tánaiste will be able to signal to us when it is intended to introduce legislation that was mentioned by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in recent days to deal with what seems to be a difficulty for the State in seeking drink-driving convictions. I am sure that the Tánaiste was equally concerned when she became aware of the RSA's statistic that some 60% of drink-driving cases did not result in convictions for drink driving.

Will the Tánaiste confirm whether the judicial council Bill will be before the House shortly and whether it will contain a provision allowing retired judges to return to work as barristers?

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