Alex White (Labour)

I note the Taoiseach referred briefly to Seanad reform in the other House yesterday. Does the Leader agree that he effectively dismissed taking any steps beyond perhaps introducing legislation to deal with the outcome of the 1979 referendum? This is a disappointingly modest approach. The House spent half of a day debating Seanad reform recently and will, I understand, return to the issue in February. In light of the Taoiseach's comments, are we kidding ourselves that more radical reform of the House is possible?

While I do not wish to trespass on the National Roads Authority's oral inquiry into the replacement of toll booths on the M50, I will comment on a newspaper article today in which a representative of one of the interested groups, Mr. Conor Faughnan of the Automobile Association, wrote about the proposals for the toll bridge. His extraordinary description of what is proposed is almost Kafkaesque. An electronic tagging system is to be introduced to establish a vast infrastructure on the M50 which will include "overhead gantries, electronic detection devices, cameras, video imaging technology, ANPR software, systems integration, cabling" and many other features. The AA, an interested party which represents motorists, argues that we should concentrate instead on the provision of public transport to relieve congestion on our roads. Surely this is the best option. The AA's proposal to introduce a levy on fuel to assist in funding public transport is a much better idea than creating the monster proposed for the M50.