No breath-testing referendum likely

THE Government is set to ignore calls by an Oireachtas committee for a public vote on whether the random breath-testing of drivers should be allowed.

The cross-party Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business yesterday recommended that a referendum be held on the issue. The aim would be to remove any existing constitutional barriers which prevent random breath-testing.

The committee believes such testing should be introduced “as a matter of urgency” to help reduce the carnage on the roads.