Drink Driving Limit in Ireland

For those people who live in countries where drink driving is not tolerated it must be amusing to see Irish politicians arguing over how much alcohol a person should be allowed to drink before driving their vehicle. At the moment the blood alcohol content limit in Ireland for drivers is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. The Minister for Transport Mr Noel Dempsey wishes to reduce that level to 50mg of alcohol per 100ml blood. Yet yesterday 20 backbench TDs and Senators opposed such a move. Why in Gods name would anyone oppose the introduction of what is effectively life saving legislation, and why in particular would politicians who are charged with ensuring public safety and well being oppose such moves. The answer is simple. In rural parts of Ireland many people, families and communities live in isolation. In places such as Connemara in County Galway, a place of great beauty and toruism in summer, a place of great isolation and lonelyness in the winter, the pub is the only place where people can come together and enjoy music, dancing and a game of cards. The pub is the place where matters of great importance are discussed be that farming, fishing or rural development. The pub is the place where the local Minister and TD holds his clinic on a Saturday morning to listen to the concerns of locals. The pub is in effect the heart and soul of the community, it is the place where the lonely no longer feel lonely, where the elderly feel safety and comfort, where the open fire is the symbol of a community of families and individuals. Yet the difficulty is that for Johnny who has to travel several miles down from the hill of Cashel there is no public transport, there is no bike lane, there is no taxi, no well lit corridor, the only means Johnny has of getting to meet with his neighbours and friends is to drive his tractor or his car. Johnnys closest neighbour may be six or seven miles away, they cant car pool or tractor pool as the journey for a game of cards or an hour of Irish dancing could take an hour there and back by the time you negotiate the narrow winding roads. Many living in big towns or cities cant comprehend this rural life style, why should they, they step outside the door and there is a bus, taxi, tram to take them where they want to go. The pub for the city resident is a walk down the street and is only one of many entertainments that are at hand. Yet drink driving is a major cause of death and jury on our roads, how can we balance the need for drink driving reform and at the same time take account of the hardship such reform will impose on many rural people and communities who are already feeling isolated from the decisons of Big Government and 'self serving' politicians. Perhaps a solution could be found in the government facilitating transport initiatives in those rural communities. Let there be a rural initiative lead by Government that ensures that in particular older and disabled persons can have access to transport for their one night out per week, let there be provision for those proud people who have served this country so well. Lets include not isolate rural Ireland from Governemnt innitiatives that are being driven for the good of the people. In this instance I support the Minister's push for drink driving reform, but let that reform be tempered with remedies for those who do not have access to chaufeur driven cars.