Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 6, before section 4, to insert the following new section:

"4.—The Minister shall, notwithstanding the status of the Authority, remain politically accountable to the Houses of the Oireachtas for all matters that fall under the aegis of the Authority, and nothing in this Act shall be used to diminish the level of that responsibility or his or her accountability in that regard.".

I feel strongly about this amendment, as does my colleague in the Dáil, Deputy Olivia Mitchell. While I appreciate she put forward this amendment in the Dáil, we should debate it fully in this House. I hope the Minister of State will accept it in the Seanad. It is about accountability. The road safety authority is not answerable to the Houses of the Oireachtas and it should be, through the Minister. That is a fundamental of our democracy. Otherwise we will have a road safety authority which will be like the HSE. Members of the Oireachtas and MEPs will write to the Minister, the Minister will wash his hands of matters, as will the Department, and the only avenue left open to the elected representative will be to write to the chairman of the road safety authority, Mr. Gay Byrne. One may get a reply in perhaps three or six months, and that is not good enough in our democracy today.

To have this amendment included would be a small price to pay. We have recently celebrated the 90th anniversary of the 1916 uprising, and the people involved died for democracy, for freedom. A fundamental part of it is that the people involved would be accountable to the Houses of the Oireachtas through the Minister. We feel strongly on this matter and urge the Minister of State to accept the amendment.