Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I did not say that, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I just said I asked him three times and gave him three chances that he might reconsider because it is a very hurtful allegation to make against anyone, never mind elected Members.

I was making the point that the figures, on which the Minister has predicated the Bill, are totally false, erroneous and spurious - one can call them whatever one likes. It is impossible to expect people to support that because they are totally erroneous. It gives me no pleasure to say that in my county the breath tests were exaggerated by 380%. The Leas-Cheann Comhairle cannot say I am not allowed to be concerned about that in discussing a road traffic Bill which is making changes in amendments Nos. 4 to 7. That is not right and we should be conscious of that when we are making legislation. We will be accused in later years of rushing legislation. Bad legislation is worse than even rushed legislation. No explanation has been given for this from the assistant commissioner or anybody else. I am not blaming the ordinary gardaí on the road or the traffic corps; I am blaming senior people, including the most senior person in Tipperary. The breath tests were exaggerated by 380%, which is staggering. The Minister and others expect that we should change the legislation to criminalise people for a lower offence on foot of the appalling vista that is going on up and down the country.

Tipperary is a very proud county and I am very proud of the members of An Garda Síochána in Tipperary. We badly need them and need more of them. We need the traffic corps to be boosted and put back to near its original strength and to give it the tools of the trade to implement the present legislation and then go forward from there. However, we must have honesty and integrity in respect of the figures on which the Minister has built the Bill. I do not believe he investigated or even gave a cursory look at those figures because if he did we would not be where we are at present without a full explanation. While it applies up and down the country, as I said, Tipperary was the worst with figures exaggerated by 380%. We have to be able to deal with that. That is what I am concerned about. I am asking the Minister to withdraw this legislation until he gets explanations about that. The citizens in Tipperary-----

See this speech in context