Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

I support Senator Fitzgerald's call for a debate on the means by which the Oireachtas can take action to enhance community life. The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs has not come to the House since the Seanad convened last summer. The Government has lost its authority on the matter of quality of life for citizens. Murder is commonplace and has begun to be accepted as simply a part of everyday life. The Government came into power almost 11 years ago promising zero tolerance but that principle has been abandoned. In particular, there has been no enhancement of the role of the Garda.

Who is in charge of transport policy in this State? The Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy Tom Kitt, has proposed a doubling of penalty points on bank holiday weekends. This proposal has been transferred to the Minister for Transport, Deputy Dempsey, who is in Australia, for consideration. That is no way to govern. Bank holiday weekends are characterised by road accidents and fatalities. Unfortunately, we can be sure we will read in the newspapers next week of deaths on the roads this weekend. I remind the Leader of the three principles of engineering, education and enforcement. The Government has not taken sufficient action on the latter.

I agree with the remarks of Senators O'Toole and Boyle on the schools building programme. There is no transparency in the delivery of this programme. This is frustrating for us as public representatives but one can only imagine the frustration of a school principal in dealing with the Department of Education and Science.