David Norris (Independent)

I, too, welcome the Minister of State to the House. I wish to make some comments on this Bill, which I welcome and I wish the road safety authority success. There has not been a glorious history of success in this area. The Government has been confronted by the resignation of Eddie Shaw who addressed the Joint Committee on Transport of which I was a member. He was fairly trenchant in his criticism and he laid down a list of things he felt should be done. I hope the Government will make available to the incoming authority those recommendations of Mr. Eddie Shaw because they would be valuable. The Government should not discard the work already done by a very able and honourable man.

Unlike some of my colleagues here, I heartily approve of the appointment of Gay Byrne. He is an ideal person because he is well known and well loved. He has a very keen and shrewd intelligence. I worked with him on a few occasions in broadcasting. He is one of the most efficient people I know and a great disciplinarian. If he is set a task he will make it his business to get it done.