Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for the contributions they made this evening and throughout the debate on the Bill, which has been addressed in a pretty non-partisan way, which is healthy. People realise the importance and urgency of this. Deputy Troy referred to it quite rightly when he said this is a matter of saving lives. All it is about is saving lives and saving people from injuries and collision.

Deputy Troy asked if we take this seriously since it has been delayed so long. That is a fair point. In preparing to bring a road traffic Bill to this House, one is to some extent always chasing the Bill. There are always new measures that are urgent and which have to go in so the Bill is delayed for the next measure. We were preparing drafts on issues such as speeding and written-off vehicles. We were waiting over the summer period when the Dáil was not sitting for them to be drafted and they were included. We produced our own amendments as a result of that and they are included in the Bill. We could go on like that forever but we cannot do that. There are several other measures that are now necessary and which will have to be introduced in a forthcoming Bill. They have been suggested in the House, but for various reasons they cannot be included in the Bill. Some are in the wrong Bill and some will just take a lot longer to include because of various complications and we have to call a stop at some stage. I agree with the impatience over the delay. It was considered urgent to include one or two of these things in this Bill, which we are bringing through now and which we hope to now bring into law before Christmas.

Both Deputies Troy and Munster had proposed again amendments to the new drug driving offences in the Bill which they introduced on Committee Stage. In both cases, though in different ways, they are proposing the extension of the drugs referred to in the Bill beyond the three drugs - cannabis, cocaine and heroin - which are already referred to. I will re-emphasise what it is we are doing in this Bill. It is already an offence to be driving or in charge of a mechanically propelled vehicle while under the influence of any intoxicant to such an extent as to be incapable of controlling the vehicle. This offence requires the Garda Síochána to prove the presence of a drug and that the driver is impaired.

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