David Norris (Independent)

These troops are being pushed through our airspace. As was stated the other day, at least we were given €25 million for it. Is there a price on the suffering of the people of Iraq? I ask the Leader to bring an answer to this House about this traffic and, in particular, the fact that an aircraft with clear markings which was used to transport kidnap victims by the United States to countries where they could be tortured, has been seen landing in Shannon. It is quite within the remit of this country to ask the Garda to board that aircraft and ensure that international conventions and the law of this country are not being violated. I want to know why this is not happening. In light of this, I would not be pushing Margaret Hassan's Irish citizenship.

As someone who has sponsored amendments protecting the human and civil rights of Travellers, I wish to state on the record of the House that I strongly support the Garda Síochána in its action in Dunsink. It is important that Travellers have not only the rights of all citizens of Ireland and that these be guarded carefully but also have the responsibilities and must live to the standards of other citizens. It is quite unacceptable to have arrows, bolts, slings, petrol bombs and all the rest of it. Gardaí were quite right to go in there and find contraband goods. The law is the law for everybody.

I note there is a motion on the Order Paper about road safety and the Road Traffic Act. The House debated this subject and several Members, including myself, made the point that traffic limitations and speed limits will not be respected in the bizarre, crazy situation which pertains at present where a motorway has speed limits going from 70 mph to 60 mph to 50 mph to 40 mph to 30 mph, within a short distance. It is exactly the same road. When one reaches the 30 mph stretch, there is a garda with a gun which is like shooting fish in a barrel. That kind of nonsense, which the Minister undertook to examine, will bring the law into disrepute. It is absurd. I and others try to observe the speed limit but on one occasion I was passed out by a lorry doing 70 mph on one side, a private car doing about the same speed on the inside and somebody flashing their lights and blowing their horn at me.