Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 84: To ask the Minister for Transport the extent to which he has examined the cause or causes of the various fatal traffic accidents that have occurred over the past 12 months; if he will address the issue in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29495/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The primary immediate investigative role with regard to road accidents is vested in the Garda Síochána. Priority in such an investigation must be given to the determination of the causes of road accidents, including whether a breach of the road traffic laws contributed to the occurrence.

Garda reports are forwarded to the National Roads Authority and subsequently to each local authority for the purpose of the establishment of accident trends and causes generally and to facilitate the carrying out of remedial works relating to road infrastructure where such action is deemed to be necessary. I have no current plans to propose alternative arrangements for investigating road accidents.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I defer to Deputy Olivia Mitchell, but will ask a supplementary question.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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When I made inquiries recently about the causes of accidents and what investigations are done, I was horrified to discover that depending on the type of accident and whether a criminal prosecution was likely, a certain line of investigation took place, but if there was no criminal prosecution, even in a case where there was a fatality, a different type of investigation took place.

There does not seem to be any clarity about the causes of accidents. A newspaper has reported today that many accidents may be caused by the use of cocaine and other drugs; that may well be the case. Criminal prosecutions do not result from accidents in many cases if toxicology tests are not done — I refer in particular to fatal accidents.

Given that this country's road death figures have exceeded any kind of acceptable level, we need firm information when we are drawing up policy. Everybody can suggest solutions to this problem, but we need to ascertain exactly what causes accidents. Is legislation needed to allow drug testing to take place at roadsides? I appreciate that it can be easier to breathalyse someone than to test someone for drugs. Does the Minister believe that drug testing at roadsides is necessary?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I agree with the Deputy that this is a difficult issue. The accidents on our roads throughout October have been appalling. I extend my sympathies to the families of those involved in the tragedies. The answer I gave to Question No. 84 emphasised the primacy of the gardaí but I agree with Deputy Mitchell that the information we need to assemble if we are to make legislative or policy judgments is too thinly spread. The entire body of such information is not available in the cohesive and detailed form we would like.

When the House discussed the Driver Testing and Standards Authority Bill 2004, I mentioned that I intend to amend the Bill to provide for the establishment of a new road safety authority, the remit of which will include the gathering of the various details I have mentioned. That single body will be given responsibility for assembling all information.

As Deputy Mitchell correctly stated, there is increasing evidence that drugs play a part in many of the desperately unfortunate road accidents in this country. I accept that legislation would probably be needed to provide for drug testing but I am not sure how the testing methodology would be worked out. I have had many discussions on this issue within the Department of Transport. I have asked my officials to discuss the matter with their counterparts in the Office of the Attorney General.

While we are familiar with the link between alcohol abuse and fatal road accidents, it should be borne in mind that alcohol is not the only cause of the deaths of young people on our roads. It is clear that the abuse of drugs is a major second aspect of the problem.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Does the Minister accept that he should take the initiative in this regard? It is clear that some accidents are caused by substance abuse and others are caused by road conditions. There is no information about many accidents. The Minister for Transport is in the best position to take the initiative by gathering information, making recommendations to the local authorities and the various other relevant bodies and taking the legislative action that is required.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I agree with the Deputy. I conveyed to Deputy Olivia Mitchell that I accept that information on road accidents is somewhat scattered at present. I am addressing the lack of a single fulcrum of information by establishing a road safety authority. I have outlined to the House my approach for dealing with the apparent increase in the use of drugs by young people, who then get involved in road traffic accidents. I will tease out that aspect of the matter with Deputies when the House considers the Bill again. I will be happy to take on board the views of my colleagues.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Does the Minister accept that there are two major gaps in the information that is made available about the circumstances in which road accidents take place? We are not given any information about the status of drivers who are involved in accidents. We do not know whether accidents are more likely to involve unlicensed drivers, for example, or drivers with provisional licences. It is important, given that almost 400,000 people are driving on provisional licences, that such information be made available. It stands to reason that driver status is an important aspect of this matter, especially as so many young people are involved in serious accidents.

Does the Minister accept that there is a lack of information about the quality of the surfaces of roads on which accidents take place? The Health and Safety Authority does not have a role in examining road accidents. Who is policing local authorities to ensure that they provide adequate signage and set speed limits when road works are ongoing or have recently been finished? It does not seem that anybody is considering whether such factors contribute to accidents or policing the precautions being taken in this regard.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Such analysis is being done. Many investigations take place on foot of serious road accidents. I would not like to diminish the strong role of local authorities in that regard, not only under the Department of Transport but also under the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

I was surprised to find, after Deputy Shortall raised this matter on a previous occasion, that records are not kept of the qualifications or lack of qualifications of drivers who are involved in road accidents. We need to have such information at our disposal as a matter of urgency because it would indicate clearly rather than notionally the level of driving competence of young people and others involved in accidents. As the information that has been made available is sketchy, one cannot make an absolute assessment on the basis of it.

This issue needs to be considered in the context of the Driver Testing and Standards Authority Bill 2004. I look forward to tabling amendments to the Bill and I will be open to any amendments which will be proposed by other Deputies. I do not disagree with Deputy Shortall, who has raised this matter previously, in this regard.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Does the Minister agree that our society's utter dependence on cars, which is demonstrated by the fact that Irish cars travel twice as far as German cars each year, is the fundamental contributory factor behind this country's high level of road fatalities and injuries? It is inevitable that our dependence on car transport, which is much more dangerous than rail transport or bus transport, will lead to a high level of deaths on the road. Therefore, every policy pursued by the Minister for Transport, whose job involves trying to prevent road deaths, should lead to a switch where possible to modes of transport which are safer and which save lives. Is the saving of lives the central plank of the Government's transport policy? If so, does the Minister agree that it behoves us to invest massively in rail and bus transport, rather than encouraging this country's dependence on cars?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Ryan has made an extraordinary assertion. I agree that one of the reasons for this country's high level of road fatalities is its extraordinary network of small roads scattered throughout the country. The Government is pursuing a policy of constructing motorways on the major interurban routes to try to improve the road network, but the Green Party is opposing that every step of the way. I have consistently argued that this country needs more roads of a better standard and fewer of the traditional smaller roads. I do not understand, bearing in mind Deputy Ryan's correct assertion that our society depends on road transport, why the Green Party does not support the Government's road construction policy. It is unrealistic to suggest that everybody can be switched from cars to public transport — that will not happen.

There were less than 750,000 cars in this country a few years ago, but that figure has increased to 1.6 million today. It is interesting that Ireland's level of car ownership continues to be below the European average. Many important matters can be considered as part of the debate on road accidents, but the most telling statistic that can be used is that driver behaviour is the cause of 86% of accidents. The most fundamental issue to be confronted is the need for Irish people, individually and collectively, to take responsibility for their behaviour on the roads. An improvement in driver behaviour would reduce the current tragic level of deaths and injuries overnight without any need for legislative proposals. I reiterate that 86% of the tragic fatalities and injuries on our roads can be attributed to driver behaviour.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Is the Minister saying he does not think there is a need for a change in society's attitude to cars?

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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I agree with the Minister that a comprehensive body of data is collected when an accident that causes a fatality or serious injury takes place. I have examined the manner in which information is collated by Kildare County Council. Local authorities often respond to accidents by funding low-cost remedial measures or by initiating a major project. There does not seem to be any significant middle ground. Has the Minister considered a different funding response to deal with accident locations which require more than a low-cost remedial response?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I would not disagree with the assertion that we must consider every method, no matter how new, to improve the quality of surfaces, signage and markings on our roads. That is unquestioned. Many accidents occur on what would be termed regional roads and non-national roads, which are the responsibility of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. However, testing continues all the time and all the authorities have in recent years examined surfaces and new materials to ensure the standards of road safety can be increased. When we have finished upgrading the road network throughout the country, not just the major inter-urban routes but all the connecting major roads, I have no doubt the situation will improve dramatically. We must remove bad roads with bad bends, which are used by powerful cars being driven too fast, some by drivers who have taken drink or drugs.

It is a process. We are doing anything we can. We have improved the situation but we need to do more. However, we need the understanding and assistance of the public in terms of individual responsibility to have a big win on this.