Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

This is a very important topic. The Minister of State, like his predecessors from Donegal, has an opportunity to be remembered for years to come for the work he may do to ensure road safety. We know the work his predecessor, the former Ceann Comhairle Joe Brennan, did as a Member of Dáil Éireann. The two longest speeches ever recorded in the Houses of the Oireachtas were made by former Senator Bernard McGlinchey, a colleague of ours. These men have been remembered for their contributions in the House. The Minster of State, Deputy Gallagher, who is also from the north west, can also make a significant change by addressing the topic under discussion.

I was Chairman of the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Senator Ellis, formerly a Member of the Dáil, was Chairman of the Joint Committee on Transport. I would like to believe we both made a significant contribution to bringing about the current position on road safety, given the level of carnage on our roads five years ago compared with today. There were only 575 personnel in the dedicated traffic corps three years ago. The Garda Commissioner, along with the three Ministers of the time, allowed this to take place. The number of personnel increased to 800 last year and 1,000 this year. The number will increase to its full compliment of 1,200 next year. When the dedicated traffic corps in New York was given the funding and wherewithal, not only was there a reduction in deaths and serious injuries, there was also a 30% reduction in crime. It is a win-win situation for everyone concerned.

The biggest change we have seen is the introduction of random breath testing. In the period between its introduction on 21 July 2006 and 20 July 2007, over 80 lives were saved and over 1,200 people were saved from serious injury. It will grow and be enhanced. That is on record and it is to the eternal credit of the Road Safety Authority; its chief executive at the time, Eddie Shaw, who was of enormous help to the committee; its current chief executive, Noel Brett; and its current chairman, Gay Byrne, that they have taken this issue seriously.

For an additional cost of €15 in the manufacturing process, vehicle manufacturers can, and have an obligation, to ensure that seatbelts are connected to the ignition. If three people get into the car but do not fasten their seatbelts, the car will not start. We are making this very simple request of manufacturers today.

The Government must lead by good example. A total of 53,000 vehicles, such as taxis, buses and school buses, are registered by the Government. Black box technology should be installed in those vehicles. This technology only costs about €200 and three manufacturers are offering to play an enhanced role in this. Accidents are not planned, rather they happen. If someone travelling home on their own at night has an accident, either through falling asleep at the wheel or something else, they could be dead within half an hour. For example, they could bleed to death. Black box technology will notify emergency services immediately after the accident. The nearest hospital or Garda or fire station, which could be 15 miles away, will be alerted and on the scene 15 to 20 minutes later. This will save lives.

We have seen how, unfortunately, school buses have been involved in accidents and young people have been killed. No one definitively knows what has caused these accidents. A bus mounted the pavement below the Clarence Hotel in Dublin on a Saturday afternoon and people were killed. No one definitively knows what happened. Within 20 minutes, the black box technology will tell one the cause of the accident, in the same way as a black box fitted in an aircraft.

Insurance companies have come on side and have said that they will reduce premiums by a minimum of 20% for anyone who installs this technology. The Government must lead by example and I call on one of the most experienced Ministers of State in the Government to bring the matter to the attention of his Department. Black box technology was strongly recommended by the Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment in its fifth and final report to the Government. In fairness, the Road Safety Authority and the Department have accepted most of our proposals in the last four interim reports and the final report.

I could speak on this matter for a long time. The Minister of State can see that this has been a very worthwhile debate and I hope we will look forward to making the roads and country of Ireland safer to live and work in.