Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise two issues. First of all, it is good to see Senator Gallagher acting as Leader and I welcome him back.

I welcome that the Government is bringing in mandatory drug testing at the scene of serious accidents and that will swing into action this weekend. I would add that it should not only apply to serious accidents. I have stated here in this House previously that there is an epidemic out there with drivers taking cocaine. It is a real threat on the roads now. At one time, it was drink-driving. That is still an issue, but drug-driving now is a serious threat and we need to take it seriously. While I welcome this move by the Government, we need to extend this further. I know this has to start somewhere. The Government might not have all the resources to extend it as much as it needs to, but it is something that really needs to be done because I am convinced there is much loss of life because of drug-driving on the roads.

I welcome the announcement by SSE Airtricity that it is reducing its prices by 10%, but that is not enough. I read somewhere where these people made profits of €110 million last year. The high cost of electricity is a burden on all families, particularly those on lower income because nobody can do without electricity. What I would like to see happening is that we would ask the Minister with responsibility there, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to come in and have an all-round discussion. I am not asking the Minister to come in so that we fire darts at him but that we would have an all-round discussion in terms of why these companies, particularly SSE Airtricity, are only reducing the cost of electricity by 10%. Electricity costs are high all over Europe, they are very high in England but there is no excuse that a company here such as SSE Airtricity which made such enormous profits last year should not reduce the price of electricity by a further 10% to 20% because prices are way above what they were before the crisis.