Kevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The witness hit the nail on the head. Some people are not too sure what they can drink. I put the question to the Department of Justice and Equality. This legislation is arising out of the fact that the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, stated that it was being abused by some who were just getting fixed penalty points as opposed to being put off the road. He felt that the system was being abused but at the same time, no one can give us figures to say that people have gone back on the road and been caught again within the same legislation. As Dr. Bedford said himself, perhaps people are not too sure if one glass is okay or not. They might learn their lesson. Why give them a hard penalty the first time when they might be innocent of the fact? People might be able to have the one drink and be able to drive with good care and within the rules of the road, but is it too harsh to put them off the road straight away?