Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to have an opportunity to speak on the Bill. I come from a rural area and I represent rural people. In general, such people are decent, honest and hardworking. They would do anything to help their neighbours and communities. Usually, these people are elderly and their families are away working. Reference was made earlier to there being no jobs on offer in communities such as those that I represent. There are no jobs there and these people's families have had to move away. The only social life they have is to attend community functions or go to the local pub. If a person goes to his or her local pub, it may be the only contact he or she has with the members of his or her local community besides, perhaps, the postman. The person may have a drink or two and play a game of cards. I know what the Minister is trying to do with this Bill, and nobody wants to see people killed on the roads, but, to my knowledge, there has never been a road fatality in my area that was caused by one of the people to whom I refer.

The Bill will kill a way of life for people. That is genuinely what is happening here. Not only will we do it, we have almost done it already because people are so frightened and concerned. These are responsible and decent people who would not offend or hurt anybody and have never done so.

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