Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

The medical people make that decision on whether a person is fit in the hospital.

The Bill proposes to introduce a scheme for the mandatory roadside testing of drivers for substances other than alcohol. The evidential testing in a Garda station for the presence of drugs is already provided for in the Road Traffic Acts. The reason that there is no legislative provision to allow for preliminary roadside testing for drugs is that there is no available method for the taking of such a test. Significant research on this issue has been and continues to be pursued, as Deputy Olivia Mitchell acknowledged, and the Medical Bureau of Road Safety is involved in those endeavours. In the absence of methodology for the taking of preliminary test for drugs, it would be inappropriate to legislate for such tests. I understand Deputy Mitchell wants to give the Minister the power by regulation to do so. We can be certain that if we bring in this regime, it must be in done in primary legislation. There is no point in us guessing what might come until we put a scheme in place and it will unquestionably necessitate primary legislation to implement.

I have run over time. Does my entire script form part of the Official Report?

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