A ROAD SAFETY group has expressed disappointment that senior members of Government have been unable to give a specific date for proposed legislation to introduce lower drink-drive limits and mandatory testing for motorists at crash sites to come before the Dáil.
Public Against Road Carnage (Parc) wrote to all members of the Oireachtas asking them to support the Road Traffic and Transport Bill 2008. Under the Road Safety Strategy 2007-2012, new limits are supposed to be in place by the end of June.
In a study last year the Road Safety Authority recommended a new limit of 50mg and a 20mg limit for learner drivers.
Susan Gray, founder of Parc, said the Ministers for Transport, Justice, Health had all responded noting the correspondence but stopped short of pledging to support it and none could provide details of when the legislation was due before the Dail.
Noel Ahern, Minister of State in the Department of Transport, said it was hoped the Bill would be published early this year.
Members of other parties were more forthcoming. Labour Party spokesman Tommy Broughan said his party is “committed to the mandatory testing of drivers at the scene of collisions and to a lower drink driving limit”. Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said his party supported lower drink-drive limits and mandatory testing at crash sites.
