Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yes, Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Speed is one of the major causes of fatalities. So is tiredness when driving long distances, as people have to do now. They have to get up early in the morning and drive from places such as Cahersiveen in Kerry to Cork or Limerick and drive back home again. It makes a long day out of it and people are tired driving. There is little public transport to help or assist people travelling these distances. Mobile phones have caused many accidents.

I have spoken about the ponding of water on our roads. There is a drainage programme but, as I understand it, it is a programme for draining the sides of county roads. It does not deal with the ponding of water on our regional roads or even on our national secondary roads. The inlets are closed. The section men knew where these inlets were but, sadly, we do not have the section men and no one knows where these inlets are now, so when it rains we have lakes of water on our roads-----

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