Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I welcome the Minister of State. Although I missed the debate last week I want to make some points. I welcome the Bill with some reservations. It is a great idea to make one authority responsible for driving tests, schools and instructors but the responsibility rests with the Government. However, the prime responsibility for good driving lies with drivers. We have learned that this cannot be achieved without enforcement and that is the responsibility of Government. It is good value for money to invest in enforcement. Some time ago I produced figures from the US and elsewhere showing that every dollar invested in enforcing safe driving saves the government large sums of money. I will speak about one potential target for investment, namely, licence plate identification equipment. It costs money but I have seen it work. There are only two cameras in Dublin. If we invested in this equipment, we would not need gardaí to look at the cameras because they identify speeding drivers automatically and immediately. If there were ten or 20 of these cameras on the road from Galway to Dublin, they would identify, without anyone having to look at them, whether one was driving too quickly between one camera and the next. It is almost magical what we can do with technology.

We do not have to invent new ways of doing things — we can look at what other countries have done. I was in Finland last week and learned about technology that must be installed in the cars of those found guilty of a drink driving offence. Senator Feeney touched upon this in respect of Sweden. One must blow into a unit before one starts one's car. It represents further investment in technology. If one is fined for accumulating penalty points in Finland, one is fined a percentage of one's income. The week before I visited, a very wealthy and successful businessman had been caught speeding on his motorbike and was fined €200,000. Somebody else might only be fined €200. This would straighten out one's mind. In Dubai I noted sirens on taxis — maybe they were on other vehicles also — that automatically sounded if one exceeded the speed limit. Senator Cummins mentioned the enforcement of penalty points north and south of the Border. They should be enforced throughout Europe and not just on this island. This matter is typical of one regarding which all-island co-operation could succeed.

I agree with the Senators who stated Gay Byrne was an inspired choice. He is great and has threatened to resign if he does not get his way. He will not have the patience of Eddie Shaw. Eddie Shaw was marvellous at what he did — he hammered and shouted but eventually had to give up when it did not work. Gay Byrne will succeed and will step down, as he has threatened, if the Government does not solve the problems associated with road safety. It is in its power to do so and the citizens know it is its responsibility. With sufficient investment in technology, it can enforce the law as it stands. All the other proposals mentioned, including random breath testing, must also be implemented. Investment in technology is necessary so the law can be enforced to the point where we, the citizens, will obey it.