Cyprian Brady (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister for Transport, Deputy Séamus Brennan, and I congratulate him on his hands-on, proactive and realistic approach to the matter of improving how we use our roads. For many years, the introduction of penalty points was merely discussed and was the subject of much waffle. Some said it was unworkable and others simply did not want to change. The previous Minister laid the groundwork in this area, but the current Minister had the bottle to introduce it.

For a system which, according to some commentators, is not working or is unworkable, 18,000 point notifications and a 32% drop in six-month figures to date for road deaths is a very acceptable rate of return on what is a new innovation in our motoring culture. It is difficult to change people's attitudes but that process has begun.

The cost of insurance has always been an issue for motorists, particularly young motorists. For many years the insurance companies have profited greatly from high premiums, and the Minister is justified in seeking a quid pro quo for the expected reduction in the number of claims as a result of the introduction of the penalty points system.