This is the last opportunity we will have to raise the matter of carnage on the roads with the Taoiseach before the May bank holiday weekend. This year, to date, unfortunately and tragically, 118 people have been killed on our roads. This figure, unfortunately, reflects an increase on a month to month basis as against 2004. I have occasion to travel extensively around the country and recently I have noticed a huge increase in motor cyclists travelling at grossly excessive speeds on some of our roads, well over 100 mph. It is impossible for some motorists to see them coming behind.

It is obvious that in order to change the culture of dangerous driving, with particular reference to speeding, that the law of the land needs to be implemented. Does the Taoiseach regard it as sufficient that the traffic corps has been increased by only 33 gardaí this year, barely one for every county? Is it good enough that after two and a half years only four out of a possible 70 offences are covered by penalty points? Is it good enough that the special high level group on road safety which met in a blaze of publicity after an horrific week last September has not met for six months? Will he explain to the House and the nation the current status of speed cameras?

I welcome the opportunity to say a few words on this issue before the long weekend, the first summer weekend, and acknowledge the work the Garda is doing in this area. The traffic corps has been extended. During the past six or seven years an enormous amount of effort has been put into road transport and road safety issues. Every year we have reviewed that work and have tried to improve on it. While the number of deaths over a few bad weekends are high, road safety continues to be a huge priority of the Government. It is not just the traffic corps that is involved in the efforts to try to prevent accidents and monitor speed limits. Speed cameras have been extended throughout the country but there are not enough of them. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has asked not only the traffic corps section the Garda in general to be more vigilant on the motorways. While the numbers designated to do this work are small the reason the Minister sought 2,000 extra gardaí in his plan last year was to be able to substantially increase the number in the traffic corps.

Work has continued on the penalty points initiative and the associated breaches. The genuine effort of everybody involved to extend the penalty points system has worked extremely well. Deputy Kenny made the key point that speed on roads is the problem. Our roads have improved, our cars have improved, the number of Garda involved in this initiative has increased but people are engaged in speeding. One cannot have a Garda on every road, motorway and back road to monitor people's driving habits.

Only on three-lane highways.

We have to appeal to the good sense of drivers. In fairness when one looks back over the figures, taking the enormous increase in traffic, including trucks because of our growing economy, into account, the accident figures proportionately are not out of line but one death is a death too many.

The content of much of the Taoiseach's reply is somewhat akin to what he said to Deputy Gay Mitchell in one of his more famous outbursts some years ago.

Having missed one flight from Dublin Airport last week and having had to cancel another due to chaos at the airport and in travelling approximately 1,000 km last week I came across one Garda check point. I wish to deal with the Taoiseach's comment in regard to speed cameras being extended throughout the country. It is two years since Deputy Naughten was informed that there were only three speed cameras in the whole of Ireland, five years after the Government promised to have them installed. Two years ago, these three speed cameras were being rotated around 20 speed camera boxes. In reply to a recent question tabled by Deputy Olivia Mitchell, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform admitted that nine of those 20 speed camera boxes are out of action. He went on to say that it takes between two and eight months to repair a speed camera box. Given what the Minister for Finance said yesterday that €100 billion would be spent on infrastructure over the next 20 years, North and South, it is incredible that it takes between two and eight months to repair a wooden box on top of a pole. Seven years on there are three speed cameras but only half the number of boxes that are operable and it takes eight months to repair one of those. It is no wonder that making appeals to the mentality of drivers is in vain given the increasing speed on many of our roads. If the Taoiseach has occasion to travel the roads I invite him to look at what is happening in regard to motor cyclists in particular. It is impossible to see them coming from behind given that they are travelling at speeds of well over 100 mph. It is a shame the Government is not in a position to apply speed camera boxes and speed cameras to implement the law of the land that he promised would be implemented seven years ago.

I would like to see the powers to deal with road traffic issues fully implemented, particularly at long weekends when road use is far higher than on average weekends. I would like to see a concerted campaign by the Garda Síochána to deal with these issues. I did not travel 1,000 miles last week but I am aware Garda road blocks are visible on routes as on a recent journey of not more than 60 miles from Dublin I encountered three Garda road blocks. The statistics show that 14% of road deaths and injuries are caused by road conditions while 86% are as a result of driver behaviour. The Government has expended significant moneys on the improvement of road conditions and facilities for drivers but some people do not take adequate care. I accept that some people drive at 100 mph and some do not observe any of the road traffic laws. All the Garda Síochána can do is strictly enforce the law. Penalties can be imposed on those who are found breaking the law. Speed cameras are in operation. When more than €1 billion is being expended on roads I cannot explain why it takes nine months to repair a speed camera, if this is the case. At a time when annual expenditure on roads is €2 billion I do not understand why a speed camera cannot be repaired. I hope I am not being held responsible for that——

The Taoiseach is being held responsible.

The Taoiseach's time is concluded. Please allow the Taoiseach to conclude.

I will do a FÁS course to find out how to fix speed cameras.

This is a serious subject. The Taoiseach should not be flippant.

People die.

I accept Deputy Kenny's point that speed cameras should not remain unrepaired for more than a few hours. Resources being devoted to improvements in infrastructure and to issues of road safety are designed to make the roads safer. However, car and truck traffic volumes are creating——

The Taoiseach is whistling against the wind.

Let us hope not. The statistics show that 86% of accidents are caused by people not taking care. I ask people to drive with safety and with respect for others.

On a wing and a prayer.