Road traffic consolidation Bill
Deputy Broughan asked when a road traffic law consolidation Bill would come forward and pressed the Taoiseach on the Law Reform Commission. The Taoiseach said the project was longstanding, then agreed consolidation would be useful and said he would ask the Minister to prioritise it.
I agree with the Taoiseach's last comment.
When will a road traffic law consolidation Bill be introduced? The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, has spoken of a timeframe for such legislation and of involving the Law Reform Commission. Will a Bill be introduced or is this just talk?
Yesterday, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Charlie Flanagan, published the McCartan report on the Stardust tragedy of 1981. The report has been rejected out of hand by the Stardust Relatives and Victims Committee. It was based on very narrow terms of reference with which I and most other Deputies disagreed during the debate that led to the establishment of the McCartan inquiry in January last. Deputies wanted a full commission of investigation into the issue. Will the House have an opportunity in the coming weeks to discuss the McCartan report, which is on the clár of the Dáil today?
Comment on this
The scheduling of the business of the House is a matter for the Business Committee.
On the road traffic law consolidation legislation, this is, it is fair to say, a longstanding project in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. I am not sure how much progress has been made on the legislation as yet.
Comment on this
What about the Law Reform Commission?
Comment on this
A consolidated Bill would be a very good step forward. We have consolidated corporate law and taxation legislation. Road traffic law is heavily litigated and the fact that there are so many Acts amending and overlapping other Acts makes it even easier for solicitors to get their clients off when they should not get off. I will discuss the matter with the Minister as I would like to see it prioritised.