Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will raise two issues. One relates to the Road Safety Authority and the second relates to Northern Ireland. I have received a lot of correspondence in the past couple of weeks on the Road Safety Authority and Members will recall that the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, was before the House recently and gave a substantial amount of time to himself to read a script into the record but he gave Members of this House very little opportunity to ask questions or, more important, to get comprehensive answers. The many controversies surrounding the RSA have been debated in the Irish Independentand other media. There seems to be a struggle which is being carried on by letters, and references to letters, in the media. I do not doubt the commitment of the Minister or the RSA and its chair, Liz O'Donnell, a former Deputy who is familiar with politics in this House. It is important, however, that the Minister with relevant responsibilities come here to answer some questions on the Road Safety Authority. We know from public correspondence that there are vacancies but is it his intention to fill these? There has been a constant flow of communication to try to get compromise and a resolution to the dispute and I would like to question him about that.

It takes 20 weeks for people in Buncrana and 25 weeks for people in Letterkenny or in Galway and other places to get driving tests. There is a huge backlog for young people waiting to sit their driving tests to help them get gainful employment. The Minister is the Minister and I respect that but it is important that we apportion the time between the Minister and elected Members.

I acknowledge role played by Martin McGuinness, the former deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. He has been courageous in his conversation with the nation, through the media, about his illness and I wish him well. It is wrong not acknowledge his role. We have all suffered losses and many people in Northern Ireland, on this side of the Border or in Britain and further afield have suffered pain as a result of parliamentary activities or, indeed, legitimate political organisations through word, deed, bullet or bomb.However, we must move on. We must acknowledge the statesman that he was, particularly during the past ten years, the way in which he dedicated himself and was a hand, with many other hands, in bringing peace to the island of Ireland. It is very important that we acknowledge that. Having said that, we must also acknowledge the pain and suffering of others. I want to say to his colleagues in this House that it is important that we acknowledge that.