Criticism of the Government’s new regulations regarding the use of mobile phones by drivers is mounting and it is facing growing calls by opposition parties to amend them to clear up perceived ambiguities.
In a statement issued this afternoon, Labour’s environment spokesman, Mr Eamon Gilmore, called on the Minister for the Environment, Mr Molloy, to withdraw the regulations on the use of mobile phones in vehicles, calling them "confusing, contradictory and largely unworkable".
He also expressed his surprise that the Minister had chosen to introduce the new measures by way of regulations rather than by amendments to the road traffic bill which is currently before the Dail.
Although Mr Gilmore agreed that controls on mobile phone use by drivers were a necessary safety precaution, he suggested that if it had been introduced as an amendment "it would have been discussed in detail and many of the flaws would have been detected and could have been corrected."
According to Mr Gilmore, members of the Garda have already indicated that the regulations would be difficult to implement.
In a separate statement, Fine Gael’s Mr Denis Naughten was also critical of the Government proposals, warning that they "must be amended before they cost lives".
He voiced concerns about the impact of the regulations on the emergency services, saying "many emergency vehicles use two way radios and are not exempt from this new regulation which may delay vehicles, putting lives at risk."