Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree that we must recognise and tackle them. That is our duty as a Government, but that does not mean that we should allow people to drive up and down the roads of Dublin or rural Ireland when they have had too much to drink. To say, as so many speakers have said, that this is not rural-proofed is, again, dishonest. If we are talking about it numerically, several speakers have quite rightly said that this measure will benefit rural Ireland more than Dublin and urban Ireland. There are more tragedies on the roads of rural Ireland than there are in Dublin. I do not want to talk in terms of statistics but the fact is that there are more people in rural Ireland burying their dead because of what is happening on the roads due to alcohol than there are in urban Ireland. That is statistically true and it was eloquently expressed by Deputy Eamon Ryan. The statistics, measures and opinion polls that have been taken scientifically by the RSA through Behaviour and Attitudes prove quite conclusively that the majority of people support this measure. It is not just a majority; it is an overwhelming majority. I do not remember the exact figure but it is somewhere between 88% and 90%. Those are well-published and well-publicised facts.

I understand the emotional feelings that come from Deputies like Deputy Mattie McGrath. I recognise the utterly reasonable arguments that have been made by Deputy Michael Healy-Rae on both occasions.

He is opposed to the Bill, but for reasons which I think are genuine. However, the idea that this Bill should be some sort of plaything for politicians to filibuster is not just an insult to democracy but an insult to people whose lives will be saved by it.

This evening's debate has been deliberately repetitive. It has been in defiance of the wishes of the vast majority of the House. If it is allowed to continue in this vein, people will suffer and measures that could be taken will not be taken.

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