Minister highlights difficulty of placing blind spot mirrors on trucks

Minister of State for Transport Pat “The Cope Gallagher” has stated that truck drivers cannot be forced to fit “blind spot” mirrors on their vehicles “at the stroke of a pen”.

The issue was brought up in the Dail after Dublin city coroner Brian Farrell advised that such mirrors be fitted after he heard the case of an 80-year-old man killed by a truck.
Labour’s transport spokeswoman Roisin Shortall stated that under existing legislation and EU directives there was nothing to prevent the Minister from making the fitting of mirrors mandatory on trucks in Ireland. She highlighted that the National Safety Council estimated that at least eight people died every year because of trucks having blind spots.

Mr Gallagher rejected Roisin Shortall’s suggestion that the work could be done at the stroke of a pen. Under an EU directive the fitting of “Cyclops”’ mirrors only became compulsory in January 2007 for new vehicles.
Shortall criticised the department for not doing enough work in this area.
“The inactivity of the department results in the loss of lives on Irish roads which is inexcusable,” she said.