Madam, - Gay Byrne, in his first press conference as head of road safety policy, admitted that he had no expertise in the field and then proceeded to say that reducing the numbers driving without a full licence would be his priority. How can he set a priority before he learns something about the subject?
I suspect that the number of L-drivers has no bearing at all on road deaths, being only a reflection of the lack of testers. Should the boring task of studying the statistics not precede the press conference setting out priorities?
Martin Cullen, in his arrogant contempt for expert opinion, was responsible for the huge waste of public money on the electronic voting machines. Road safety is far more important, being a matter of life and death. But he has shown the same contempt for expertise in his appointment of a broadcaster as head of road safety. Will he ever learn? - Yours, etc,
TIM O'HALLORAN,
Ferndale Road,
Dublin 11.
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Madam, - I watched the interview with Gay Byrne on Monday evening's RTE news. It was replete with toe-curling, self-regarding twaddle.
We learned, inter alia, that Gaybo (a) worked very hard during his career and deserves everything he got; (b) he can ride a motorcycle and has a silver medal in motorcycle maintenance or some such; (c) he still does a bit of TV work, at his own pace, mind you ("anyone out there looking for me?").
What all this has to do with the serious matter of road safety was lost on me but seeing the front page of your newspaper yesterday resolved the situation. I gazed at the picture of Mr Byrne and Minister Cullen and it it became clear that we now have not one, but two comedians worrying about this problem. Bully for us. - Yours, etc,
LIAM MEADE,
Bellewood,
Ballyneety,
Co Limerick.
****
Madam, - When we read day after day about the carnage on our roads, one has to wonder about the thinking behind the appointment of Gay Byrne as chairman of the new Road Safety Authority. To be sure, Mr Byrne has an exceptional, hard-earned reputation as a broadcaster - but absolutely no demonstrated expertise in road safety and related areas.
He summed it up best himself when, in a radio interview (RTE1's Five Seven Live) he said that he would "give it a go."
When it comes to appointing "personalities" to positions of such importance as this one, celebrity culture really has gone too far and Mr Cullen has once more shown his complete unsuitability for Government. - Yours, etc,
T. GERARD BENNETT,
Templeroan Park,
Knocklyon,
Dublin 16.
****
Madam, - Chairman of the new Road Safety Authority? Ye what, Gay? - Is mise,
DEIRDRE WILLIAMS,
Lissadel Drive,
Drimnagh,
Dublin 12.