Results 23,201-23,220 of 24,567 for speaker:Róisín Shortall

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Róisín Shortall: There is more to this issue than instructors.

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Róisín Shortall: The position in the UK has changed. I will send the Minister more up-to-date information on legislation there.

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Róisín Shortall: There is a valid concern in this regard. In a debate on this issue a few weeks ago, the Minister was unable to give a clear answer on the matter. His understanding was that the Garda would have access to this information on the handheld units. However, this is not the case. Relying on people's honesty and hoping that they will return their licences is inadequate. The Minister could not tell...

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Róisín Shortall: Who will take responsibility for ensuring that licences are returned?

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Róisín Shortall: Is it not cumbersome to have different agencies and Departments involved?

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Róisín Shortall: Would it not make sense for the RSA to take over responsibility for the national driver file?

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Róisín Shortall: It is not practical for each local authority.

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Róisín Shortall: Amendment No. 21 relates to the functions of the new authority. The Bill confers wide-ranging functions on the authority and they have a wide remit. My concern is to avoid the authority becoming bogged down by its different responsibilities. It has much work to do in the area of driver testing as neither the Minister nor his predecessor were able to complete or handle it.

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Róisín Shortall: There are various ways of trying. While I do not apportion blame——

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Róisín Shortall: ——this situation was allowed to develop because of inadequate staff and inadequate oversight of developments within the driver testing service. This outrageous situation——

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Róisín Shortall: This outrageous situation was allowed to develop because people did not prioritise driver testing to ensure that drivers would be obliged to be trained and qualified before taking a car out on their own. It is ludicrous and scandalous that there are more than 400,000 unqualified drivers on the roads. No other European country allows inexperienced and unqualified people to drive on their own....

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Róisín Shortall: The Minister did this in the last two strategies.

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Róisín Shortall: However, the Minister has failed to meet targets. Performance has not been measured.

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Róisín Shortall: I fundamentally disagree with the Minister. While he refers to responsibility to do this, that and the other, including programmes, activity and so on, it is precisely because people have all these responsibilities that there is a need to keep a clear focus on a strategy. There is no reference to a strategy in the legislation. The Minister talks about programmes and the fact that the Minister...

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Róisín Shortall: There was no strategy in 2003.

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Róisín Shortall: This cannot depend on individual theories. It must be in the legislation.

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Róisín Shortall: This is the principal matter.

Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Róisín Shortall: The Minister should not belittle the argument we are making.

Leaders' Questions (Resumed). (5 Apr 2006)

Róisín Shortall: The Taoiseach failed to answer any of the questions.

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (4 Apr 2006)

Róisín Shortall: Question 46: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the recent presidential election in Belarus with particular reference to the violence and intimidation towards the political opposition which preceded it, the jailing of the opposition leader, and the treatment of protestors by the police forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13112/06]