Madam, – Proposed changes in legislation would reduce the legal limit of alcohol from 80mg (per 100 millilitres of blood), to 50mg. As a publican I have seen the cumulative effect the economic downturn, smoking ban and the previous reductions in the alcohol limits have had on our trade. This proposal I feel, is a bridge too far. In effect this will impose zero tolerance in relation to alcohol consumption before driving. Ergo a glass of wine with a meal or a single pint after work will result in illegal blood to alcohol levels.
I am sure everybody is already aware of the numbers of pub closures and loss of employment in the industry. This proposal is a very real threat to the industry and should not be underestimated.
I am totally in favour of strict drink driving laws; the old mindset of “a few pints won’t do any harm” is, I hope dead and gone, but let’s not replace this with an overzealous totalitarian diktat that could have a counter-productive response: “sure if you’ve had one, you might as well have another, you’re over the limit already”.
This legislation, if enacted will provoke widespread antipathy, it will not I believe, have the support of the majority of the gardaí who will have to enforce it, and it will have a devastating effect on an already ailing publican industry. – Yours, etc,