Vintners’ chief demands debate on rural isolation

A NATIONAL debate on rural isolation is needed following recent comments by the Kerry coroner, the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) has said.

The group, which represents 4,500 pubs outside Dublin, many of which are in rural areas, said comments made by Kerry coroner Terence Casey on rural isolation and suicide and its link to stricter drink driving laws — published in the Irish Examiner yesterday — followed similar statements by several coroners, including Donegal coroners Dr Denis McCauley and Dr John Madden, and others in the Midlands and Border regions.

Mr Casey has highlighted the link between stricter drink driving legislation leading to rural isolation and then suicide in his area, which saw 11 deaths of this nature last year.

The VFI said it “firmly believes” the recent reduction in drink driving limits from 80mg to 50mg/100ml has had “an enormous and devastating psychological impact” on those living in rural communities.

The group said those who once went to the local pub for one or two drinks and social interaction no longer feel they can do so, and this was compounded by the absence of rural transport.

This issue is further compounded by the absence of services once provided by local shops and post offices, which communities centred on and at which social interaction also took place.

The VFI said that, while it does not advocate drink- driving and is in favour of measures which will reduce road carnage, assistance from the Government is needed to end rural isolation.

Padraig Cribben, chief executive of the VFI, said: “There was no balance in the discussion around drink driving. The Irish research this decision was predicated on was totally flawed and even misleading in places.

“Our strongly-held views have been backed up time and again by several different coroners from Kerry to Donegal,” he added.

“Without any rural transport and with these draconian drink driving rules, people have no other choice but to stay at home.”

Mr Cribben said publicans should be exempt from VAT and VRT on new seven and nine-seater vehicles to reflect the fact they were acting as de facto taxi drivers in rural Ireland.