A proposal to reduce the blood alcohol limit for drivers is expected to be strongly criticised by members of the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland, who begin their annual three-day general meeting in Carlow tonight.
The Federation, which represents more than 5,000 pubs across the State, believes any reduction in the legal blood/alcohol concentration limit will further isolate people living in rural parts of the country.
The Government is committed to an unspecified reduction of the current limit by June 2009, under the terms of its five-year Road Safety Strategy.
A recommendation by the Road Safety Authority to reduce the current limit of 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg per 100ml of blood is thought to be favoured by the Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey and is due to be brought before Cabinet in the coming weeks.
If approved by Cabinet the measure would likely be in place by early next year.
But vintners insist that any changes in the current law would be ineffective in tackling the problem of drink-driving and would precipitate more isolation in rural areas.
Delegates at this year’s AGM will also discuss the increased water charges for publicans, underage drinking, the proposed introduction of a mandatory age card, and restrictions on the sale of alcohol
The meeting is expected to endorse the election of a new President, Val Hanley from Galway City.
A VFI spokesman told ireland.comthat Mr Hanley is expected to unveil plans for an extensive advertising campaign "to proactively position the pub as a social hub in Irish society and to underline the many attractions of the modern pub".