Sir, - James Purcell's comment that the forthcoming "Fly the Flag" campaign is laudable is not quite right; the campaign is laughable. His comment about the requirement for a garda traffic control unit, on-the-spot fines, licence confiscation, etc., is quite right, has been well noted in these and other newspaper columns already, and must also by now be well noted by the Government.
So why isn't the Government tackling the issue with the effective measures suggested by so many, as opposed to impromptu, lip-service responses like "Fly the Flag"? The answer, I believe, is that road safety does not capture votes. As a result there is a complete absence of the leadership, will and resolve required to take the steps that are needed to manage the problem. And there is no question, as shown in other European countries, that the problem can be managed.
Until enough people in this country make road safety a voting issue, nothing effective will be done, and we will have to put up with lots more flying the flag. - Yours, etc.,
Ian Lush, Delgany, Co. Wicklow.