Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Paddy Burke for sharing time with me and I am aware most of the relevant points have already been made.

Statistics on road safety speak for themselves and consequently road safety must remain a top priority, not just for the Government and Road Safety Authority but for us all. We must all take responsibility, not just for our own actions but also for actions that would influence the communities in which we live.

Statistics suggest that many of the measures adopted to date have been successful. It is especially important to note this. Perhaps we are not sure which measure has been most successful, be it the penalty points system, the drink driving legislation or the graphic advertisements on television. I have no doubt that all the measures have had a role to play. This will have been the first time in the history of the State in which there will have been a road safety strategy in operation. When drawing up the strategy, it might be well worthwhile identifying specifically the immediate needs.

I always underline the issue of education. Perhaps graphic advertising forms part of this but I am referring to education in schools. I am not just suggesting that a member of the Garda Síochána or other representative visit the schools every year because road safety should be part and parcel of the curriculum. It is so important to the lives of young people. I am not just picking out young people because everyone is affected. I recently saw on television a list of those who had died in road traffic accidents over the previous year. Their ages were listed also and I was particularly surprised by their range. It was not only young people who were involved. Education must extend beyond the school and it should be regular. It should not only point out the dangers to ourselves but also the irresponsibility associated with placing other people's lives and limbs in jeopardy.

One must ask how much inconvenience motorists will accept. When the drink driving laws were first introduced, there was all manner of debate in which some Members argued that exemptions should be made in certain cases. However, if we want to prevent the carnage on the roads, as we all do, we must decide how much inconvenience we are prepared to accept. The same applied to the penalty points system. It was introduced over a holiday period and I remember how we all slowed down at the time. We gradually built up our speed until we received our first two points and we then started to slow down again. This demonstrates that the system works.

I remember having been a passenger in cars in the United States and noted that US motorists take driving quite seriously. They watch out for speed limit signs and speed cameras. The Administration there must have succeeded in instilling such concern and fear into motorists. I compliment the Government and Road Safety Authority on what they have done to date. I hope we all have an opportunity to discuss and have an input into the strategy on an organic basis.