Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)

There has been a degree of success in the area of road safety. People are now more responsible when it comes to drunken driving. I welcome the compilation of the list of roads around the country with accident blackspots on which gardaí will feature. However, on consulting the list I was surprised to find that there are no roads in County Limerick that were regarded as blackspots. There are many roads in County Limerick on which fatalities have occurred. It amazes me that the Department of the Environment and Local Government does not compile a dossier of accident blackspots in every county and then, in conjunction with the National Roads Authority, do something about them. It would not take a lot of expenditure to take remedial action.

While I welcome the speed camera and the emphasis upon them, I am concerned about a statement made by an executive of Tele-traffic. That company has the exclusive contract to supply all the handheld laser speed guns to the Garda. The executive said it had provided the Garda with a new system to make up revenue. I hope the cautionary principle will operate and these speed guns will not be seen as a revenue making mechanism by the Exchequer. The public should be forewarned and they may then take precautions. It concerns me that the executive that sold these products to the Government would make such a statement.

I second Senator Ryan's amendment to the Order of Business.