Govt under fire over random breath testing delay

The Government has delayed the introduction of random breath testing for two years due to its close links with publicans, opposition TDs said today.

The technique is widely used by police forces across Europe but Gardaí are only allowed to breathalyse drivers involved in accidents or when they have a reasonable suspicion that they are over the limit.

Labour Transport spokeswoman Roisin Shorthall TD said the Government was frightened of offending publicans.

“You can’t blame people for being cynical for the Government’s failure to act on this, because of the fact there are so many publicans in the Dail and because of the close ties in particular between Fianna Fáil and publicans,” she said

“They have already got flak in relation to the smoking ban, and it would be particularly unpopular in rural Ireland.”

Yesterday, 15-year-old Kathy Byrne was killed in Bunclody, County Wexford while waiting for a lift home from a disco. The driver of the car that struck her is expected to be charged with drink driving later this week.

“The road deaths speak for themselves and there’s an onus for politicians to introduce random breath testing as soon as possible,” said Ms Shorthall.

The introduction of random breath testing was first promised by former Transport Minister Seamus Brennan in 2003. It is a key recommendation of the Government’s 2004-2006 Road Safety Strategy and also the Strategic Task Force on Alcohol.

According to research by the National Safety Council, about 40% of all road-deaths are alcohol-related. It found that 86% of the public would support random breath testing.

However, Ms Shorthall said there was still an ambivalent attitude to drink driving.

“All you have to do is look at the car park of any pub on a Saturday night. It’s full and the people driving those cars aren’t drinking lemonade for the night,” she said.

Last year, the Government shot down a Labour Party amendment to its Road Traffic Bill which would have provided for random breath testing.

Transport Minister Martin Cullen said in the Dáil last week there were constitutional difficulties with the introduction of the testing and added that he had legal advice to this effect from the Attorney General.

Ms Shorthall has called on him to publish this advice.