David Norris (Independent)

I join my colleagues in expressing concern about the behaviour of certain sections of the media. I have raised this issue on several occasions and warned that we should not be pusillanimous in facing up to these sections of the press. It is horrifying to learn that Ireland on Sunday, a most disreputable newspaper, described Charlie Bird as "fair game". Who are they to decide which citizen is "fair game" in a situation where there is no clear public interest? This is an unsavoury, prurient intrusion into other people's private lives, and the facts are not even right.

I am a member of the National Union of Journalists. Seamus Dooley, the Irish organiser of the union, has spoken well for the honourable trade of journalism and established reasonable standards. He deplored that kind of behaviour. It is a policy of that newspaper to ensure that no unions are involved so it is not subject to the discipline of the NUJ. This is an English practice and the newspaper is English. These standards are disgraceful.

I disagree with my friend and colleague, Senator Dardis, that the press council should be self-regulatory. That system exists in England and it is toothless. It does not work. The council should be independent. As a journalist I laugh when I hear the media calling for independent regulation of the Garda Síochána, the medical profession, nurses — everybody except ourselves. If the principle is right for everybody else, it is right for the media also and let us not be afraid to say so.

I call for a debate on the management of our roads. I have spoken on numerous occasions about the inadequate way in which speed limits are regarded, and the fact that there are many arbitrary, capricious changes to them. To quote from The Irish Times of 26 January last:

The Minister [for Transport] pointed to the N11 at Loughlinstown in south County Dublin. In one short stretch of the dual carriageway, the speed drops from 80km/h to 50km/h and then back to 80km/h. "You actually find gardaí there regularly taking otherwise law abiding citizens to the side and writing them tickets," said the Minister. "I have to say I feel it brings the whole process into disrepute and it causes a lot of ill-will among otherwise law abiding, tax paying citizens."

The Minister knows this but we should do something about it. While he is at it, the Minister should consider the issue of speed ramps. I am happy that we should have road safety, speed ramps and the rest but there is no regulation of this area. Ramps can be built from 18 inches high to two feet high, which are a danger to vehicles.