Irish motorists should drive on the other side of the road to facilitate immigrants and tourists, Seanad leader Donie Cassidy said today.
The Fianna Fail senator and hotelier made his comments during a debate on road safety in the upper chamber in Leinster House. He also called for a lower speed limit of 80kmh to apply to immigrants and tourists who are unfamiliar with Irish roads.
"Maybe in time we should have a look here in Ireland at the possibility of changing and driving on the other side of the road," he said.
"From a tourist point of view our biggest destinations are Europe and the US and they all drive on the right side of the road. "So there are a lot of good reasons."
The former TD from Co Westmeath also said that cars of ten to 15-years-old bought at auctions should not be allowed on the roads network.
He said: "Right throughout the country, we see immigrants availing of these cars, the same as Irish emigrants did in England and America in the 1950s and 1960s when they were trying to get a start in life.
"I think that there should be a 50mph \[80kmh] speed limit put on anyone coming from another country that is going to use our roads, particularly from destinations where they are driving on the opposite side of the road."
Senator Cassidy (63) called on the Road Safety Authority chairman Gay Byrne to carry out research on the issue. A day-long debate in the Seanad could also be allowed to discuss the matter, he added.
Senator Cassidy, who claims links with the family of former US President Bill Clinton, yesterday told the Seanad that he didn't believe Republican candidate John McCain was too old at 71 for to enter the White House.