Mr. Donall O'Keeffe:

We feel they are sufficiently severe because the figures show that 7,300 of the 8,000 convictions resulted in automatic suspensions from driving for a minimum period. We do not believe anyone drinks with a view to hitting a target between 50 mg and 80 mg. Nobody drinks like that and it is nuts to suggest it. The vast majority of people do not drink and drive, which is evident from the number of arrests compared with the number of people on the road. Much of the enforcement activity and public awareness focus should be on the cohort that drinks and drives. According to the RSA, 80% of those who are caught are at double the legal limit. They are drinking large levels of alcohol before getting behind the wheel of a car and they face higher penalties. Being caught for drink-driving rightly attracts a severe sanction for the vast majority of people and means they are automatically off the road. In the longer term, sustained public awareness campaigns, year in and year out, and sustained high-level enforcement are the way to go to deal with drink-driving.