Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Something that was not looked at in the regulatory impact analysis that I feel should have been was the effect on the courts of removing the penalty points and fine option and including an automatic disqualification. We have seen in other areas where there is not the penalty points option that the level of challenging in court is much higher. Is it something that the witnesses anticipate will happen now as well in the 50 mg to 80 mg per 100 ml blood alcohol content category for non-specified drivers? The point I am getting at here is that the time it takes for a person accused of drink-driving to come to court is already too long. Will this not actually further delay the times for people who are accused to come to court? At the moment, someone could have ten pints, drive home, be caught, be arrested, and drive away for months before coming into court. I anticipate there will be more court challenges because the figures for court challenges are much higher where the penalty points option is absent. That was not part of the regulatory impact assessment. Do the witnesses anticipate that will have an effect?