James Carroll (Fianna Fail)

I wish the Minister well in his pending retirement. He was a superb public representative for my neighbouring county of Meath. I have had several arguments about him but I continue to consider him as one of the most idealistic members of the Cabinet. He has retained his idealism and fire after 14 years in office and if I can do the same I will be a happy man.

My comments on the Road Traffic Bill 2011 will focus on three areas, namely, why it is being introduced, the changes it will deliver and the benefits it will bring. The general reason for the Bill is to amend existing legislation to allow for the introduction of mandatory alcohol testing of drivers in advance of the coming into force of the provisions contained in the Road Traffic Act 2010. Given that the Minister outlined the basis for the Bill in detail, there is little for me to add in that regard.

While Ireland has one of the best records in the EU for reducing the number of road deaths, 2010 was truly a black year for horrific accidents. Several people were killed over Christmas in the Minister's own county. It is never a good time to lose one's family members but Christmas is an especially difficult period for this to happen. Since the Minister was appointed to his current office, the number of road deaths has decreased. The figure for 2009 was 238, which represents a decrease from a high of 279 in 2008. The figures were stark for the years prior to the Minister's appointment. He took a lot of abuse from members of Fianna Fáil for his tough stance on legislation but by sticking to what he believed was right he delivered change. The best change that we can hope for is that more people are alive than would have been the case under the previous legal regime.

Senator Ryan expressed concern that the Bill may not go far enough. The Labour Party has submitted several amendments which I look forward to debating. The Minister outlined the reason for the measures introduced in the Bill.

I come from an area alongside the old N1 in County Louth, which was one of the worst places in Ireland for road traffic fatalities. The road outside the Monasterboice Inn, which is at the bottom of the lane on which I lived, was the site of some of the worst accidents ever seen on Irish roads. A variety of accidents took place including one in which a large number of people were killed. Every road traffic accident that could be prevented is a tragedy and that is why it is critical we pass this Bill swiftly. We must also implement the legislative changes contained in the Road Traffic Act 2010 at the earliest opportunity.

Nobody likes to see legislation or targets being delayed because of a lack of equipment. We all want the equipment yesterday and that is always the case in regard to measures aimed at saving lives. Equipment to test breath samples will not be available until September 2011. Evidential breath testing machines will be needed to measure alcohol levels in drivers' breath.

This Bill introduces mandatory breath testing at sites of accidents, which is very important. I had the misfortune of being involved in a minor road traffic accident in 2010. It was the first time I had ever been involved in an accident and it was a shock to the system. I did not know what to do. An hour after the accident I called a garda, who asked me whether I had contacted anybody earlier. When I told him I had not done so he pointed out that the other party to the accident could easily blame me for causing it. I learned an important life lesson from that conversation. Mandatory testing is important because every public representative will have dealt with cases where the people involved in accidents changed their stories.

The consequences of having alcohol in one's system are potentially immense. If one takes a drop of alcohol, one should not get behind the wheel. People fear that the limit cannot be reduced to zero but that is a target I would like to reach. Some might say this is a generational attitude. My peers and I who are in our twenties would never dream of drinking and driving because it is stupid. When I was younger, I was a passenger in cars driven by individuals who had consumed a few pints. We thought that was a normal practice at the time but thankfully that culture has been broken. As more young people get behind the wheel, they realise the importance of never even dreaming about touching a drop of alcohol.

Senator Ellis and others have raised the issue of drug driving. The Minister has addressed this issue on a number of occasions. Some young people who would never get behind the wheel if they consumed alcohol believe they are capable of driving after smoking cannabis or taking other drugs. That one can drive after taking a small amount of drugs is another myth that needs to be punctured. It might be an idea to get some role models to highlight this, whether sports people or otherwise. Many people mentioned the new road traffic legislation to me over Christmas and the advertisements. When one goes on-line to listen to radio, one sees road safety advertisements. Many people feel very awkward when they see these advertisements in which people who have been in accidents talk about them. It hits people between the eyes that this is what happens when one takes one's eye off the road or if one is silly enough to get behind the wheel when one is intoxicated or under the influence of drugs.

This Bill introduces mandatory alcohol testing, which is necessary. I look forward to the 2010 legislation coming into effect in September 2011 and to further road traffic Bills which are more strict than this one. That is critically important to save lives. I commend the Bill and look forward to discussing the further Stages.