Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

It is very difficult to know what to say when asked to reflect on the carnage witnessed on the roads over the weekend. The most graphic case was that in Threemilehouse in County Monaghan in which five young men died, but I know of others. I believe that nine young men under the age of 25 were killed in night-time accidents over the weekend. We must respond to this issue because, whatever one says, the road safety campaign is not working for that age cohort. We will have to consider much more radical measures to get the point across to people of that age that society must address this serious issue.

One circumstance has been brought to my attention. Manufacturers and distributors can now install a limiter to determine the maximum speed at which a vehicle can travel. Will the Government consider whether we might take that route to ensure that everything possible is done to get the message across to the age group in question that action must be taken? If it requires limiting the maximum speed at which vehicles registered to owners in a certain age group can travel, we must consider that. It is simply unacceptable that such carnage be allowed to continue without a considered response.

When we returned following the summer recess, I asked the Leader when we might debate the reports of the Morris and Barron tribunals. We have now been back four weeks without such debates. The tribunals were asked to report to the Houses of the Oireachtas expeditiously, and it is no service to anyone if time passes without our being able to reflect on the reports' conclusions. It is now urgent that both debates be brought forward because they concern very important matters we asked the two judges to determine. The House is obliged to discuss their conclusions in the fullest possible sense. I ask that debates be tabled on the reports as soon as possible.