What is required to make this Government, the general public and the various agencies of the State respond to drunken driving with the seriousness it deserves?
Figures produced by the Garda Síochána from its Christmas road safety campaign show there was a 45 per cent increase in the number of road deaths when compared to the same period last year. That is simply unacceptable. And it is absolutely tragic for the families that lost loved ones.
There has been too much political hand-wringing and not enough vigorous action in confronting this appalling situation. The experience of other countries shows that without strong political leadership and tough enforcement measures by the police, road safety campaigns and anti-drink driving measures simply do not work in bringing down fatality rates. The introduction of the penalty points system here had a strong initial impact in reducing the number of road deaths. And then the motoring public realised that their chances of being caught breaking the various traffic laws were very small.
Fear of detection and subsequent punishment encourages safer motoring. But the Government has not been prepared to pass the laws or to invest in the equipment and manpower that would make it happen. Of course, undertakings were given. And the Government has dusted down and reissued its 1997 election promise to establish a dedicated traffic corps within the Garda Síochána. But progress has been painfully, hopelessly slow, with an estimated 500 recruits scheduled to become available by 2007.
The shortage of gardaí in carrying out road traffic duties was evident to any observant motorist, even at the height of the special six-week Christmas campaign. And while the number of persons breath tested for alcohol rose by one-quarter to 2,262, that figure amounts to 14 motorists being tested per week in each of the 26 counties. The activity was also heavily loaded towards the last two weeks of the campaign. Gardaí are handicapped in this area. They must have reason to believe a motorist is under the influence of alcohol before they can apply a breath test. And legislation providing for random breath testing may not be introduced until the end of this year. In spite of that, the statistics provided by the Garda would suggest the campaign concentrated on offences such as speeding and seat belts. Ten times as many motorists were detected breaking the law in those areas.
We have a serious problem with alcohol abuse in this State. And drunken driving is just one aspect of it. Until we address it in a comprehensive and uncompromising fashion, people will continue to die.