Derek McDowell (Labour)

I am delighted with the Minister's comments. Without that kind of information and analysis, we are working on instinct — hopefully, reasonably well informed instinct — but not on the basis of serious research and analysis, which is what we need to make reasonable decisions.

My party supports all the provisions of the Bill. However, I will speak with less enthusiasm on one or two of those provisions because it is my job to do so. It is good that action has been taken with regard to mobile phones. It was always possible for gardaí to prosecute on the basis that using a mobile phone constituted careless or dangerous driving in itself. However, it is good it has been made a specific offence.

I do not have a hands free set at present, although I had one until it stopped working a year or two ago. I am not sure the distinction between hand held and hands free is all that meaningful. I found it was just as distracting to speak into a microphone as to hold a mobile phone in my hand. I am not sure it is possible to totally concentrate on the job in hand, namely, driving, if one is speaking into a microphone. The section would seem to allow the Minister to make regulations to cover that situation at some future time. He will have to do so because, unless there is a total ban, drivers will find some way around the provisions.