Feargal Quinn (Independent)

As Senator Keaveney noted, the country has experienced another week of horrific deaths on its roads. Members should remind themselves that each death constitutes a tragedy for a family. This week I was stunned to learn that this year alone, the number of speeding offences detected by the Garda came to 116,000. There must be a change in mindset in this regard. Ireland led the way in respect of the smoking ban, the plastic bag tax and a number of other areas. We should find a way to become leaders in making it no longer acceptable to speed. One encounters speeding every day on the roads. People are somewhat shy about wearing a fur coat or being seen with a plastic bag. We should make people feel ashamed if they are caught or even seen to be speeding. We should set a challenge in this regard and if this were done I believe the number of deaths on the roads would be reduced dramatically.