Independent Alliance Minister against cut to drink-driving limit

An Independent Alliance Minister has said he is opposed to any potential moves from Minister for Transport Shane Ross to reduce the drink-driving limit.

Sean Canney, the Minister of State for the Office of Public Works, said the focus should be on enforcing existing law rather than changing it or implementing new laws.

Mr Canney represents Galway East, and said there were older people in his constituency who drive to the pub and do not drink to excess. Such visits to a nearby pub were a valuable social outlet, said Mr Canney.

Mr Ross, the most senior Minister in the Independent Alliance, favours reducing the current limit of 50mg for fully licensed drivers to 20mg, the level set for professional and inexperienced drivers. This would see even one small alcoholic drink place a driver over the limit.

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TDs from all parties, particularly those from rural areas, have expressed concern about such a move.

“First of all, I would condemn anyone who drink-drives,” Mr Canney said. “We have enough law in this area, and I am not sure we need any more law. We need to enforce the law that is there.”

He said he was not sure what would be gained by lowering the blood-alcohol limit further. Other measures, such as clamping down on mobile phone use while driving, would be more appropriate.

Fully supportive

Kevin “Boxer” Moran, another member of the Independent Alliance, did not say if he supported Mr Ross. He said he wanted to speak to the Dublin Rathdown TD in person before making any comment.

Waterford TD John Halligan, an Independent Alliance Minister of State for Jobs, said he was fully supportive of Mr Ross, as did Finian McGrath, the Minister of State for Disabilities.

Mr McGrath said he was “100 per cent” behind any proposals that Mr Ross brings forward, while Mr Halligan said there must be “zero tolerance” for drink-driving.

"Get a taxi or get a lift – or don't drive," he said. "I think he [Ross] is right, and that we should be moving towards a zero-tolerance approach. And I am not just saying that because it is Shane Ross, I would be saying it if it was a Fine Gael Minister."

Objections

In an interview with

The Irish Times

last month Mr Ross said he favoured cutting the alcohol limit for drivers, but believed this road-safety measure would be blocked by objections from rural TDs.

With a significant rise in road deaths in 2016, the Minister said the country needed “a shock” to break the complacency around the relationship between drinking and driving.

On his desire to cut the alcohol limit for drivers, he said: “This is a very controversial suggestion, and many groups would oppose it for a variety of reasons. But there is a clear benefit from getting close to a zero limit. The current law is just too unclear around what is allowed; is it one pint or two? It should be zero.”