Seanad debates

Tuesday, 3 July 2007

3:00 pm

Photo of Feargal QuinnFeargal Quinn (Independent)

I add my voice to those who have expressed thanks to the Cathaoirleach for his work over the past five years and for the 30 years service he has given to the House. The Seanad has been enhanced by the manner in which he has conducted affairs. I congratulate him on his impartiality and ability to listen carefully and his adherence to our objective of constructive debate during the passage of legislation.

Much more legislation was introduced in the House over the past five years than in the previous 50 years. I hope that trend will continue but it will not happen unless the public recognises its commitment to and ownership of the House. The public will not recognise the benefit of the Seanad until it has an opportunity to elect its Members. The comments by Senator O'Toole and others on this issue need to be given serious consideration and I hope when the new Seanad meets, one of the first items on the agenda will be an amendment to the manner in which Members of the House are selected and elected.

Senator Ó Murchú referred to the number of young people who have died. I assumed he was going to speak not only about the number of deaths of young people through drugs but also deaths on the road. Figures during the week indicated we have the highest percentage of young people in Europe who die on the roads. This was publicised at the launch of the European road safety charter, which was hosted in Dublin during last week by the director of the European Commission Representation in Ireland.

I believe action can be taken and I urge the new Minister responsible for it to take into account what Mr. Sarkozy, the current French president, did when elected to a similar position in France. He committed to the objective of reducing the number of road deaths by a half, which he achieved, and he has now moved on to higher things. Perhaps the new Minister with responsibility for road safety can set the same target as that of the European road safety charter, to halve the number of road deaths by 2010. I hope this will be achieved but it will not be possible unless the country and the Minister in particular gets behind it.

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