John Dardis (Progressive Democrats)

Senators Finucane, Ryan, Ormonde, Quinn, Coghlan and Hanafin spoke about road safety matters. Senator Finucane mentioned the international safety conference and made some valuable points in that regard. He also referred to recommendations that were made some time ago. This is an area to which we should return and invite the Minister to the House to discuss it.

The Senator is correct in what he said about penalty points. People should be made aware of what the new offences are, although there has been much publicity in the newspapers concerning the offences that attract penalty points. Perhaps the Government should consider taking out full-page advertisements in the national press before the new regime is put in place, to advise people of the nature of the offences in question.

I agree with Senator Finucane's other point about fragmentation. One often wonders whether responsibility lies with the Department of Transport or the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. It seems to go around in a vacuum in the ether. I note what Senator Ryan had to say regarding driving in housing estates in Scandinavia, which appears to be a good idea.

The matter of speeding trucks was raised by Senator Ormonde and Senator Ryan has raised it on previous occasions. They are quite right. It is frightening driving down the Naas dual carriageway——