David Norris (Independent)

I agree with Senator McDowell that it is wrong to place all responsibility on either the carrier or the driver of a vehicle. There are varying levels of inspection at different ports. It is unreasonable to expect a lorry driver to have the equipment that the French authorities would have that can detect body heat through container walls. The onus should not be shifted on to lorry drivers. It is unfair and places a disproportionate penalty on them. It should be shifted to the officers of the states through which the vehicle passes. They have the capacity, resources and technology to do this. There are situations where lorry drivers have passed through checks in good faith and, subsequently, people were found on board. If the checking authorities of the state cannot find someone in a vehicle and a driver is unaware of them, why should he or she be penalised when the officers of the state who are charged with the responsibility are not penalised?