Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House this morning. I acknowledge he is very good when it comes to attending Commencement debates that relate to his portfolio and I thank him for that.

Today, I would like to talk about road safety. I am conscious of the most recent horrible fatality that occurred a few days back. Our thoughts and prayers are with that family and all connected to them at this very difficult time.

In 2016, some 188 people lost their lives on Irish roads. In 2015, some 166 people lost their lives and of that figure, 45 were aged between 16 and 25 and 130 of them were male. We can only imagine the grief, the pain and the sense of loss that all those families continue to suffer. What is often forgotten is that for every road fatality, eight people are left with serious life changing injuries. With this in mind, I compliment the gardaí in the Cavan-Monaghan division, and in particular Sergeant Tony Campbell and his team, for an initiative that they have undertaken for the third or fourth year in succession with transition year students in counties Monaghan and Cavan.I was present at an event there last week which was attended by over 400 young people. The aim of this roadshow initiative was to appeal to young drivers to slow down and be more conscious of the rules of the road. It involved young people being presented with the stark realities of what happens from the moment a crash occurs until the road is cleared. Presentations were made on the day by Monaghan County Council's road safety officer, local gardaí, a paramedic, a consultant from Cavan General Hospital's accident and emergency department, an undertaker and a coroner. In addition, a mother who had lost her child made a striking testimony that clearly left a lasting impression on all the students. Those who were in attendance were struck by the real stories and experiences related to them on the day. This template, to which no cost is attached, should be rolled out across every one of the Twenty-six Counties. It would be beneficial for all young people. I firmly believe it should be rolled out. I would like the Minister to consult his Cabinet colleagues with a view to doing this. I do not doubt that we will see the benefits of it. This fantastic initiative would help to educate people and reduce the number of fatalities on our roads and all the heartbreak and misery that goes with them.