Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

I will be brief because I have a pretty definitive question to put to the Minister of State, Deputy Gallagher. Like many people, I am concerned about the number of deaths on our roads. When I have read about road accidents in newspapers, I have often noticed that one of the vehicles involved has been a truck. I am conscious there have been many tragic accidents involving pedestrians and trucks in recent years. The trucks involved have not necessarily been going that fast. A young woman was tragically killed by a truck in Carrigaline, County Cork, some years ago. I cannot remember the exact details of the accident, but I think she was walking with a child whom she was employed to mind when the child's pram got caught under the truck. She was pulled under the truck and killed, unfortunately, as she tried to save the child. There has been a number of similar accidents involving pedestrians in recent years. Many of the accidents about which I read seem to involve two or more vehicles, one of which is often a truck. I am concerned that many fatalities are caused in such circumstances. It seems to me that trucks are involved in fatal accidents to an exorbitant extent, but we need to analyse the figures in that regard before we make any decisions about the measures which need to be put in place. I understand that the Irish Road Haulage Association has called for legislation to impose additional safety measures on heavy goods vehicles. I look forward to hearing the Minister of State's response.