Geraldine Feeney (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Gallagher, back to the House. I am delighted to have an opportunity to speak on the Road Safety Authority Bill 2004, formerly the Driver Testing and Standards Authority Bill. Recently, there has been a lot of discussion in the media about the numbers of fatalities on our roads, particularly those involving young people. The issue has also been debated on a number of occasions in this House, yet fatalities continue to occur.

I welcome the appointment of Mr. Gay Byrne as chairman of the road safety authority because, if anybody can do anything, it is Uncle Gaybo. Set a busy man or woman a task and it will be done. Not a man to hang around, he intends to quit his position if he does not see results. He set out his stall and I wish him well. I commend his predecessors on their efforts, which, for whatever reason, did not work.

The issues of what to do with young people and waiting lists for driving tests have been the subject of extensive debate. There is a year-long waiting list for driving tests. People must pass a theory test before they can apply for a provisional licence. With that provisional licence they can drive for two years with an "L" plate and then sit their driving tests. Like everybody else here I have been told stories about people who are involved in car accidents on the morning of their driving tests, fail their tests and drive home, still on their provisional licences. That is no longer acceptable. We must do something that will impact on those people. If they do not pass their driving tests a restriction must be put on their driving. Those who pass their tests should be subject to restrictions for the first year. Some young drivers have monitors on the speedometers of their cars and agree with insurance companies to drive below a certain speed in exchange for a special insurance rate. Such speed monitors should be used. An RTE Radio 1 programme referred to a device fitted to cars in Sweden which reduces one's speed depending on weather conditions. It reminded me of Senator O'Toole's comment last week that in France the speed signs carry two different limits, one for fine weather and a lower speed for wet weather.

Travelling between Sligo and Dublin, as I do two or three times a week, I am always astonished by the number of young drivers who pass me in clapped-out, souped-up cars, generally with registrations from the 1980s. While I am driving at 60 mph they overtake me doing 70 or 80 mph. I immediately slow down because if they have a blow-out I will be involved in the accident. They overtake on continuous white lines on the brow of a hill. I often yearn to be a garda with a blue light in order to be able to chase some of those youngsters. I hate to think where they might end up. On my stretch of road I meet them all the time. The presence of a Garda car, even if the gardaí are only sitting in it, can be a deterrent and slow people down. It slows me down. I was interested to note last week an increase of 32% in general accidents, 350 people per day getting penalty points and an increase in drink driving offences and in the offence of driving without tax or insurance.

I want to talk about a recent inquest into a fatal accident in which the jury recommended a rider to existing legislation. I raise it here because there have been two fatalities in my constituency over the last few months. I know at first hand how distraught were the families of those two young men in their prime who were killed one night in a motor accident. The rider proposed mandatory testing for all drugs, including alcohol, for anybody involved in a road traffic accident, irrespective of whether they are in possession of alcohol or drugs. That would be a wonderful idea and, if implemented, would result in fewer people getting into their car with one or two drinks or after smoking a joint or two. Although they might not feel it impairs their judgment, it does. It would make younger people in particular more responsible. In rural Ireland, for example in west and south County Sligo and north County Leitrim, away from the bigger towns, youngsters drive after taking a few drinks. This cannot be allowed to continue. Too many families wake on a Saturday or Sunday morning to the horrific news that one of their children has been involved in a fatality.

I will briefly refer to section 22, which restricts Members of both Houses and local authorities from membership of the board. While I can understand why Members of the Oireachtas are restricted, the presence of a Member from either House would make a difference. Members of local authorities should not be restricted. Our local councillors come to me and tell me the concerns of the people. That is where I heard about the rider to the legislation that is in place. We should look to the National Youth Council of Ireland or organisations such as Youthreach and have young people on that authority because they are the people who will bring the message home to their peers. There is no point in packing the authority with people who are not out there on the ground. If local councillors and young people are eliminated, 50% of people are immediately cut off. When we come to Committee Stage I would like to see an amendment to address that.

Having spoken to driving school instructors, I know they want legislation. It is time for regulation. All professions are regulated and this profession sets up young people to get behind the wheel of a car. There should be tests for driving instructors and for the testers. Both trainees and trainers should be tested at the same level and time.