Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith agat. The Leas-Cheann Comhairle might give me an indication when there is one minute remaining.

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. I note the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, had to leave and that the Minister, Deputy Ryan, is coming later, but I welcome the opportunity to speak to a Government colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, on this. It is important the three parties in Government are thinking the same way with respect to road safety.

The Minister of State, Deputy Richmond's, party colleague a few moments ago alluded to the disappointment of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle that he went way over time, but it was a very well-intentioned and powerful speech that Deputy Cannon gave. Deputy Cannon is a very determined campaigner when it comes to road safety, and he should be listened to. The pertinent question he asked was whether the Road Safety Authority should be stood down. That is a big question for this Government and Oireachtas. I do not believe he is asking that question lightly, however. He is asking it in the context of a very steep reversal in safety on our roads in recent months. It is an appropriate question to ask, and he certainly has strong views on it, and I do too. I believe the Road Safety Authority is in many respects barking up the wrong tree when it comes to road safety. It is looking at some things that are not effective and not looking at other issues it should be.

Deputy Ó Cathasaigh mentioned the emphasis by the Road Safety Authority on the role of vulnerable road users in protecting themselves and the hi-vis argument, about which he made a strong point. The RSA put so much effort, energy and money into promoting hi-vis, but where is its ambition around enforcement for those who break red lights? Where is the Road Safety Authority's ambition or analysis around the trend in sales of heavy and large vehicles? We all know from all international research that these vehicles are having an impact on road safety. Deputy Cannon is absolutely correct to ask this question. That is the debate we should be having. Is our Road Safety Authority fit for purpose in this day and age?

3 o’clock

With regard to the red-light breaking, it is an enforcement issue. It is very much with the Department of Justice, not the Department of Transport. Collectively, we have to acknowledge that this is a critical issue for this Government to deal with. We have not been dealing with it fast enough. The Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, said earlier that enforcement is there for the small cohort of people who will never obey the rules. When it comes to red-light breaking, at every change of the lights and every junction in every town and city in this country, two, three or four cars will race through. These are not the misdemeanours that are directly leading to injuries and fatalities. They are the misdemeanours that are leading to a culture of poor motorist behaviour on our roads, which in turn leads to speeding, which leads to other bad behaviours such as drink and drug taking and mobile phone use while driving. If we are not addressing the culture at the root cause, there really has to be a zero-tolerance approach to the regulation of heavy machines that travel at speed, which have the potential to maim and kill. That is what they are doing.

I do not believe the RSA. Notwithstanding the fact that it has enforcement through technology on its agenda and in the road safety strategy, I do not see the urgency. Frankly, I do not see the urgency from the Government on the matter. We should have cameras at junctions and on buses as other jurisdictions do, which record poor behaviour by motorists. We should have cameras on bus lanes. We should also have a portal to which citizens can upload videos of bad behaviour. All of these things are critically important, yet they are seemingly not urgent matters for the RSA.

There is a critical issue with regard to the trend in sales of bigger and heavier vehicles, notwithstanding that many of them are electric. Just because they are electric vehicles and tick the climate box does not mean electric vehicles should be ignored when it comes to road safety. Bigger and heavier vehicles are more dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists on our roads. Just because they are electric vehicles does not mean they get a free pass.

I will conclude by paying tribute to the late Mr. Bob Hannan, the senior architect in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, who had a stellar career in his role but who more recently designed the coastal mobility route between Dún Laoghaire and Blackrock. That is a critical measure that is bringing safety to the people of Dún Laoghaire and Blackrock. Children can now cycle to school, and the elderly can cycle to the shops and to church. It is appropriate that Mr. Hannan's legacy is noted in this House.

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