‘Massive support’ for drink-drive idea

Rural drinkers yesterday raised their glasses to a councillor who called for Garda permits to be issued to people in the countryside allowing them a pint or two over the legal limit.

Danny Healy-Rae said he had had a “massive reaction” to his permit proposal, passed at a meeting of Kerry County Council on Monday.

“The mobile hasn’t stopped since I got the first call at five to seven this morning. It’s certainly an issue, no doubt about that,” he declared after alighting from a JCB in his native Kilgarvan.

“Most of the calls were supportive, though a few people, mainly from Dublin, were concerned about my views. One caller was a retired Garda sergeant who said he appreciated my raising the issue as he had been concerned for a long time about rural isolation.

“The media have also been ringing and I never realised there were so many BBC stations in England,” he said.

However, drinkers in Mr Healy-Rae’s Kilgarvan pub and in other premises in the area were reluctant to go on the record. A common opinion was that the powers-that-be “above in Dublin” will not listen.

While they agreed with Mr Healy-Rae and had plenty to say themselves, they did not want their names published. Some conceded they did not want to attract Garda attention.

Mick O’Sullivan, owner of the Atlantic Bar in nearby Kenmare, felt Mr Healy-Rae had a “good point” and thought the idea should be tried out.

“In my almost 50 years as a publican, I’ve never see anyone go out my door and kill someone on the road, or be involved in an accident. This is definitely a serious issue for people in remote areas who need a bit of a social life,” he said.

A Kenmare hackney driver, Michael O’Sullivan, said if people had to be hiring cars to get in and out of a town or village, the cost would be prohibitive.

“Hiring a hackney or a taxi can make a few drinks very expensive, especially at a time when money is scarce,” he said. “There was a time when people would have two or three pints on their way home from work, but now they can’t do that.”

Almost 20 years ago, Healy-Rae’s father Jackie went on the Late Late Show to tell Gay Byrne how he felt about the drink-driving laws, and his views have not changed in the meantime. “I’ve never changed my mind and I’m delighted Danny has raised it again,” said Mr Healy-Rae Sr yesterday while working on the family farm.

At one time, he recalled, there were at least six pubs in Kilgarvan; now there are two: Healy-Rae’s and O’Reilly’s.

“People in rural areas are becoming more and more isolated,” the retired TD said. “There’s terrible loneliness and even suicide because people are afraid to go out and have a couple of pints. These fellas in remote areas, some concession should be made for them.

“These people only want to be left drink two and a half or three pints at the very maximum. They’re the kind of people that never had an accident in their lives. They’re not looking for any more than that.

“It’s great that someone is raising the matter again to see if anyone would wake up and do something about it before any more damage is done.”