Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There is no doubt that the figures I have given the Deputy, certainly in 2016, have risen in every case. The key figure is the number in this category who have died, which from memory is 35 over four years. It averages about seven per annum in this category. We believe closing this loophole will reduce the number of deaths.

I wish to make another key point. The figures and the deaths are bad enough, but the message delivered, including through the 2010 Bill introduced by Fianna Fáil, which was a good Bill in many respects, was that some people do not get disqualified because offences in the 50-80 mg bracket are somehow lesser offences. However, we know from these figures, including the figure of 35 deaths, that fatalities are occurring in this bracket. Therefore, by making the penalty stricter, we have an extraordinarily good chance of saving lives, and that is the key figure and the key message. One can adjust the statistics year by year but one must send out a message that drink-driving is not acceptable and that there is no middle way whereby it is okay to drive under the influence if one is in the 50-80 mg bracket and it is one's first offence. It is not okay, and such people must be taken off the road. Realistically, one is impaired at that level. My instinct would be to bring the limit to zero. I would prefer to do so. One is impaired if one takes a very small amount of alcohol. That is the reality. To send out the message that offences in the 50-80 mg range are somehow lesser offences will encourage people to drink and drive and will not be a disincentive to them going on the road after drinking.