Results 621-640 of 1,683 for speaker:Derek McDowell

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: What if one did not pay? Only the garda would know this.

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: Is a specific penalty provided for in the event that somebody does not produce a licence? I ask because in my experience the offence of not having a licence or not being in a position to produce a valid licence is at times treated surprisingly leniently by the courts. On my reading, the section does not provide a particular penalty.

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: Is that in the 2002 Act?

Seanad: Order of Business. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: It should be nationalised.

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: Was the Minister of State caught in traffic?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: What about private roads? There are estates in Dublin with roads that the local authorities do not intend to take charge of. Do those areas come within the definition of "built up areas" and are those private roads governed by the 50 km/h speed limit as it exists for public roads in the same estate?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: It is anomalous that most people think these roads are public and they are in built-up areas but there is no offence of speeding. We should look at that.

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: I move amendment No. 1: In page 6, before section 4, to insert the following new section: 4.—A person who is driving or attempting to drive a mechanically propelled vehicle (other than one used in the course of the activities of the Garda Síochána or emergency services) and who uses a mobile telephone other than a hands-free telephone shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to...

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: If a driver displays no obvious signs of careless driving — I refer to a driver who does not swerve, have a near miss or hit the kerb, but continues to drive in a straight line under the legal speed limit — is the fact that he or she has a mobile telephone in his or her hand sufficient to sustain an offence?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: It is not really a matter for the Garda. If we accept that it is, we are saying that it is not a matter for regulations or the law.

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: I am sure all Senators who have been stuck in traffic at 6.30 p.m. on Thursday evenings have decided to use their mobile telephones. I am certain that the Minister of State has often sat for quite a while in traffic that was going nowhere. Is it an offence for one to use one's mobile telephone in such circumstances? I do not think it could reasonably be described as "careless driving", given...

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: What is the Minister of State talking about? Does he refer to GPS systems?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: I wish to ask a final question, so that I can get a clear answer. Perhaps I should not bother. Has there been a case of the Garda bringing a prosecution for a breach of the regulations, but not also bringing a prosecution for careless or dangerous driving?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: This is a very important issue and the problem in question must be responsible for a very large number of the accidents. In other countries with single carriageways, there are frequent sections with, say, three lanes, alternating between both sides of the road. There are a couple of examples of this in Ireland, including near Castleisland on the main road to Tralee, and we have some climbing...

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: Has the Minister of State had any joy from the NRA regarding the provision of safety barriers? I notice that he has expressed the hope that we will at least be able to commit to putting in place safety barriers within a relatively short period. Can he report on progress in this regard?

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: One could wait twice that length to get out of the Senator's car park.

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: That was announced in 1998.

Seanad: Order of Business. (14 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: I join Senator O'Toole in welcoming the decision by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on the non-national parents of Irish-born children who are seeking asylum in this country. The Minister was in the House last week and I noted that he is one of those people who likes to play good cop and bad cop at the same time. Even when he is announcing something generous, he likes to do...

Seanad: Tributes to Deputy Head Usher of the Houses of the Oireachtas. (10 Dec 2004)

Derek McDowell: I join others in paying tribute to Frank Lane. I did not know until the Leader mentioned it that he was the deputy head usher and had risen to such greatness. Like everybody else, I associated him principally with providing services, not least the envelopes. I also confess that I never thought he was a chrysanthemum kind of man. I am not sure he will thank Senator Brian Hayes for putting that...