'Ridiculous' motion 'a sad reflection on Kerry County Council'

A Donegal-based road safety campaigner has said a Kerry County Council motion calling for rural people to be allowed to drink and drive is "ridiculous".

Kerry Councillor Danny Healy Rae has said that in certain circumstances people should be allowed to drink, in moderation, and then drive afterwards.

He said permit holders would have to keep their speed down and stick to infrequently used roads.

Cllr Healy Rae's motion was passed at a meeting yesterday by a margin of five votes to three - the rest of the councillors were either absent or abstained.

Susan Grey from PARC told Highland Radio there is not even a debate around the issue.

Ms Grey said: "If he is concerned about road safety at all, he would never, never, have put such a motion in.

"The solution to this problem can never be that they are allowed to drink and drive, and endanger people's live on our roads.

"This debate is over, it was over when the law was passed on drink-driving. It is a sad reflection on Kerry County Council if this is what they are spending time doing, passing such a ridiculous motion."