As Deputy Carthy set out, Sinn Féin is not opposing this. I recognise the importance of the item before us in terms of targeting serious criminality. However, we have to be very clear that Britain is now a third country and has been since Brexit. It is very important that there are strong measures when it comes to data protection and that the regime that will underpin the sharing of data here is as strong as if not stronger than the general data protection regulation that is in force within the European Union. I share the concern and the criticism, or certainly the analysis, outlined by Deputy Carthy with regard to the real increase in the number of Protocol No. 21 opt-ins, which have become a feature of this Government. It seems to be undoing, maybe, some of the limited protections that were appended to the Lisbon treaty several years ago by stealth, without adequate levels of scrutiny and without adequate levels of debate. It might not be the case in this particular instrument that has come before us but there is a need for greater scrutiny and greater transparency when these opt-ins are proposed, debated and scrutinised in this House and in the Oireachtas as a whole. This relates to serious criminality but there is another issue I want to use this opportunity to highlight and it is about road safety. As Deputy Carthy said, the nature of partition complicates policing on this island. We have a porous Border, and rightly so. The only thing that would improve it would be if we were to take it away altogether, and that is another day's work. Road safety concerns and the policing of road safety are a particular issue not only in the northern third of our country but also in the south east, where I am a representative, because of our links with Wales, in particular. The N25 is widely regarded as the most dangerous stretch of national primary road in the State. It is also a European route and one of the most dangerous ones in the European Union. The N24, which connects Rosslare onwards with Limerick and skirts Waterford, is also a very dangerous stretch of road. Both roads have not had their share of investment and safety improvements. What is making that situation all the worse is the sheer volume of traffic on both those roads comprising vehicles generally registered and regulated in Britain. There needs to be a good piece of work done by both the Minister's Department and the Department of Transport to get to the bottom of that issue and to make sure there is serious co-operation between authorities in Britain and authorities here when it comes to policing our roads and pursuing those who flout the rules of the road in Ireland, regardless of the jurisdiction in which they are registered.

Sentiment score: 0.15