Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I do not often quibble with the content of Government amendments since they are usually daft but I sometimes become annoyed when people make factual claims that are unsustainable. I am not sure what the first two lines of the Government amendment mean. These state that "Government policy since 1998 on road safety has provided a framework for the delivery of reductions in road deaths on a sustained basis". A total of 458 people died on our roads in 1998, while 413 people died in 1999, 415 people died in 2000, 411 people died in 2001, 376 people died in 2002, 334 people died in 2003, 374 people died in 2004 and over 374 people have died so far in 2005. There has been some reduction in road deaths, for which I am glad, but one is entitled to dispute the claim that there is a sustainable pattern of reduction in road deaths.

It is alarming to discover that matters are not as bad as they were previously. Figures released by the Garda Síochána reveal that 628 people died on our roads in 1978. Matters have improved. The formula for reducing road deaths is simple to say, if not to practise. One needs safe vehicles, safe roads and safe driving. The lack of any one of these elements will frustrate the achievement of the other two. If some people do not drive safely, the roads are not of a sufficient standard or vehicles are not roadworthy, accidents can occur. The NCT has removed unroadworthy vehicles from our roads. We should remember the vehicles which were allowed on our roads before the introduction of the NCT. I remember sitting in cars where I was forced to keep my feet off the ground because the cars in question had no floor. Such vehicles were officially taxed and insured.