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

I want to say, in relation to the lovely people, not just in County Kerry, who sadly lost their lives, whether they were pedestrians, cyclists or people in motor cars, that in a debate like this we have to recognise those families who have been torn asunder because of losing their loved ones on the roads in whatever way that happened. We are really thinking of those people when we are having this debate. Whatever our angle might be on this debate, and on what is being proposed, we are thinking of those people at this time, as well as the people who will get a call tonight, tomorrow night and every other night, when tragedy will come to their door. We really have to think of those people, as well as of the gardaí, firemen, doctors, nurses, and the council personnel who have to go out and deal with those situations, sometimes on a bad, wet winter's night. We want to think of those people as well, our emergency personnel to whom we are forever indebted.

While I am glad the Minister of State is here, I am very disappointed that the Minister, Eamon Ryan, is not here. It is not a case of kicking a person just because he is not here or some nonsense like that. My goodness, would somebody ever just tell him that he is the Minister for roads and transportation? He is the only Minister for roads that actually hates building roads. He is the only Minister for roads that does not like roads. He would rather have us walking along in the ditch rather than being out on a road. It is totally crazy to think he would not be here for this massive Bill.

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