Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Like all of the other speakers, I wish to send my condolences, thoughts and prayers to the families who lost loved ones, last year especially. It was a catastrophic year on our roads. I know the Minister of State knows that. To be honest, this Government is saying one thing but doing another. We have seen budgets cut for road maintenance and safety by €150 million. This is shameful. In my constituency, Cork North-Central, yesterday, there was great fanfare with the opening of the Dunkettle roundabout. Without the northern ring road part, there are still articulated trucks - big heavy vehicles - driving through Parklands, Cathedral Road and Harbour View Road in Knocknaheeny. There is all this great fanfare but what about the people who live in those communities with these massive trucks driving through them?

I will never forget my first day in the Dáil. It was a really proud day for me and my family but the day I came in here, a young girl from my road, Harbour View Road, in Knocknaheeny, had died. I will never forget it. Kimberly O'Connor was her name. She was a beautiful child. She got a lift home off a couple of young guys in a car called a "company car". These cars are uninsured, have no NCT, are not roadworthy and are sold - legally are being sold. This child got a lift and 500 yds and a few minutes later, she was dead. I raise this case in the House because there are people selling cars that should not be on the road. They are allowed to be sold. I ask the Minister of State, even at this late stage, that an amendment be made to the Bill to put the onus of responsibility on the person who sells the car. That car was sold to a couple of young lads who had no driving licence or insurance. They should never have been sold that car. Where is the responsibility? Will the Minister of State and his officials look at that? There is no register for category C or D write-off cars. There is no onus of proof for category A or B cars when they are written off. They are still being sold to people to drive them on the roads. A week or two after Kimberly died, a cyclist for Deliveroo or one of the other food delivery services was killed on the road in Dublin. There is a gap in the legislation. This is not about political points, it is about trying to protect ordinary people going out to work and living their lives. It is a hole. I ask the Minister of State and his officials to look at it. I always thought a Bill like this should be named after Kimberly. Even at this stage, will the Minister please take it on board, if not for Kimberly, for the next Kimberly and everyone else?

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