Don’t lower the alcohol limit, says independent TD

THE Government’s plans to reduce the drink-driving limit will signal “the final nail in the coffin of rural Ireland,” independent TD Jackie Healy-Rae claimed yesterday.

Motorists, it emerged, are facing the risk of being found over the limit if they have just one pint of beer or one glass of wine in the near future.

The new Road Safety Strategy, due to be unveiled tomorrow by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Transport Minister Noel Dempsey, will see the current limit of 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood being reduced to 50mg per 100ml.

The lower limit — expected to come into effect in early 2008 — will bring Ireland’s drink-driving limits into line with the majority of the EU.

However Mr Healy-Rae was unconcerned by this, saying that lowering the alcohol limit would mark the end of rural pubs and rural life.

“I believe the Government is making a massive blunder. What is being proposed will change the rural way of life. It will be the death knell of small rural pubs,” he said.

He claimed the Government had failed to tackle the more serious problem of speeding on Irish roads.

“Speeding is the main cause of all the problems. It’s not a fellow with a pint of Guinness on him. The problem is that drivers are doing 100 miles per hour on roads that are not fit for 50mph,” said Mr Healy-Rae, who has a deal to support the Government.

He expressed pessimism that the Taoiseach and Mr Dempsey could be forced to do a U-turn on the issue.

Although a number of the Government expressed concern last year against plans by former Transport Minister Martin Cullen to bring in random-breath testing , it is unclear how Fianna Fáil backbenchers and opposition TDs will react to the latest proposal.

Last night, one Munster TD pointed out that a change of public attitude to drink-driving in recent years will enable the legislation to be passed, despite the likelihood of strong opposition from some quarters to the proposal.

“We always have to be conscious that this policy is about saving lives and nobody can argue with that. Lowering the legal limit is the price that will have to be paid,” he remarked.

Despite the introduction of random breath-testing over 15 months ago, on average between 350 and 400 motorists are still being caught over the limit each week.