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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation

Road safety officers and Minister Ross

Summary

Micheál Martin raises claims of interference with RSA road safety officers by Verona Murphy and presses the Taoiseach on contacting the Transport Minister. The Taoiseach says he is making inquiries and will revert to the House when he has spoken to him.

I apologise. Yesterday I asked the Taoiseach whether he had spoken to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport regarding a report published in the most recent edition of The Sunday Business Post which detailed interference with the work of road safety officers employed by the Road Safety Authority, RSA, by the president of the Irish Road Haulage Society, Ms Verona Murphy, who happens to be a Fine Gael candidate in the by-elections. The Taoiseach stated the matter had nothing to do with him. I suggest it has everything to do with him. He is the Taoiseach of the Government and road safety is a key priority of the programme for Government. The RSA has been instrumental in saving lives and reducing injury.

The Taoiseach told me yesterday that he would speak to the Minister. He confirmed he read the article but said he did not know too much about it. Interference with a safety officer is a very serious matter, particularly in the context of an organisation the sole remit of which is to save lives and reduce injuries. Surely the Taoiseach has a view on whether it is okay to spend 45 minutes remonstrating with a safety officer doing his job. Such behaviour is unacceptable and should be condemned.

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Leo Varadkar The Taoiseach Fine Gael

I have not seen the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport since I saw the Deputy last-----

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He is missing.

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Nobody else has either.

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Leo Varadkar The Taoiseach Fine Gael

I am making inquiries about the matter.

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The Taoiseach has been making inquiries since last Sunday.

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Leo Varadkar The Taoiseach Fine Gael

No, I have been doing so since yesterday.

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The Government should put a tracker on the Minister, Deputy Ross.

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Today is Wednesday. This is a serious issue which goes to the heart of the enforcement of road safety law in this country and checking-----

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This is more about by-electioneering than anything else.

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As Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, should be concerned about this issue.

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This is about the by-election, as Deputy Micheál Martin is well aware.

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It is all right then; is it?

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Pat the Cope Gallagher An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Fianna Fáil

The Taoiseach has not had an opportunity to speak to the Minister but will revert to the House when he does.

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