Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)

I support Senator O'Toole's remarks on the NCT. I recently participated in a protest march at a local testing centre in Abbeyfeale. Some 500 people participated in that march, which was symptomatic of the frustration people feel about the NCT and the perception that vehicles are being failed for minor reasons. If one wishes to analyse the results of the local and European elections, the poor showing of the Government parties is a consequence of a combination of small issues like this which are causing great frustration to the general public. There is amazement that a private company has received the NCT contract for the entire country. Senator O'Toole is correct when he speaks of the bestowal of responsibility for speed testing etc. on a private company and the possibility that speed cameras will be placed in secret locations that will be difficult for motorists to identify. Currently many gardaí are pinpointing the areas on modern motorways where there are no traffic hazards and a very low incidence of accidents and are often going for the soft option in terms of penalising people with penalty points. People are becoming increasingly frustrated and there is a perception that big brother is constantly watching them.