Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

I appreciate Senator Quinn's motives in bringing forward these amendments and I was interested to hear about the situation in Finland where fines are related to one's income. It may have some merit, not today but in the future. On the proposed fines of €3,000 in amendments Nos. 51 and 91 we should take other factors into consideration. They are disproportionate to the range of fines for other road traffic offences set out in this Bill and in the road traffic codes generally. There is a proposed fine of €1,000 for failing to surrender one's licence and €2,000 for letting one's licence lapse for more than 12 months, which also attracts penalty points, the effect of which is difficult to quantify in monetary terms. Therefore, the fines do not stand alone. The penalty points are provided for in section 16. The fines in the Bill are adequate and I hope a future Bill will deal with inflation.