Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)

After every weekend we wake up to graphic photographs in the national newspapers of mangled cars and human tragedies. So far this year over 50 lives have been lost on our roads. The National Roads Authority has today published a report which is a shocking indictment of what has happened over the past few years. It points out that everybody became ultra-cautious on the roads after the introduction of the penalty points system in November 2002, but that now there is a desperate laxity in the enforcement of the measures and speeding is endemic. The report states conclusively that the vast majority of articulated trucks and buses break the speed limit.

We all know that if one travels to Dublin on the motorway at the maximum limit of 120 km/h one sees cars zooming past. Many of them have Northern Irish registrations and 20% of the people caught last year could not be pinpointed because of that. There is a deficiency in our ability to catch those people for breaking the speed limits on our roads and it sets a bad example for other motorists. The British-Irish Council meets on a regular basis and should discuss those issues and come up with a solution.

The Rules of the Road booklet is available in various bookshops around the country, at a cost of €2.50. I spoke to somebody in a bookshop in Limerick this morning and was told an increasing number of eastern Europeans, particularly Polish, ask for the booklet. We go to a lot of trouble ensuring all our publications are translated into the Irish language. In recognition of the immigrant population in this country, who have been involved in many accidents, I suggest we translate Rules of the Road into the relevant languages. If a local newspaper like the Limerick Leader can translate news reports into the languages of the area's various ethnic communities, it is possible to translate the Rules of the Road. It is not simply a matter of jumping on the Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, because an interdepartmental group at ministerial level is now responsible for different aspects of road safety. Given that the Taoiseach is in charge of the group, the time for pussy-footing is over.

The report due to be published today contains a shocking indictment of the current situation. We may have a materialistic society in terms of the Celtic tiger but what about the quality of life? Members of this House have highlighted their concerns on this matter and I too want to see a full debate on the NRA report. Between 2002 and 2005, speeding offences have increased by 800%, yet only three speed cameras have been installed around the country. Almost daily, an accident occurs involving a truck, many of which are in contravention of the rules requiring them to install tachographs to regulate their speed. Urgent action is needed if we are to address this problem in a multi-stranded way. Let us discuss that report in this House so that we can reflect the people's concerns.