Drink-driving law set to change as Sinn Féin supports Ross Bill

A plan to impose an automatic three-month driving ban on all motorists detected drink driving looks set to become law after Sinn Féin said it would support the proposal from Minister for Transport Shane Ross.

Currently, a driver detected with between 51-80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood can receive three penalty points and a €200 fine.

Mr Ross is adamant that all instances of drink driving must lead to a driving ban and wants to change the law to impose a mandatory ban for all those caught.

While Fianna Fail has so far declined to support the measure, the support of Sinn Féin means Mr Ross now has enough support to get the measure through the Dáil.

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Sinn Féin transport spokeswoman Imelda Munster told RTÉ's Morning Ireland the party was supporting a change in the penalties for drink driving.

“There has to be a deterrent in order to make people stop and think. The law should be focused on those who deliberately get in a car after having a drink.

“When it comes to road safety that has to take precedence. We want to avoid that dreaded knock on the door bringing bad news. If this can save one life it will be worth it.”

Meanwhile a newspaper report on Sunday revealed that Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae queried drink-driving statistics after being repeatedly lobbied by the Vintners Federation of Ireland.

Mr Healy-Rae gave a number of interviews on April 6th claiming figures from the Road Safety Authority on drink driving were misleading saying on that if a person on bicycle “gets knocked down by a car and they have alcohol in their system, then it’s counted as alcohol-related”.

Mr Healy-Rae has been lobbied seven times by the VFI since the start of the year, according to the lobbying register.

His brother and fellow Independent TD, Danny Healy-Rae, said last week said that eating a full meal could be as dangerous as drink-driving.

He made the comment during a sitting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport which was considering the Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty - Drink Driving) Bill 2017 whic provides for the new penalties.

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