Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

Dr. Declan Bedford, an expert residing and working in County Meath, stated, in respect of the analysis he carried out regarding road deaths in Ireland over a particular period, that one quarter of the people who died in the accidents he investigated had taken alcohol of a level between 20 and 50 milligrams. Does the Minister accept that this is the case? Does he also accept the results of a survey carried out in the Border counties and County Meath which indicates that alcohol was a contributory factor in 58% of single vehicle accidents involving fatalities in those areas? It is wrong for the Minister to state that young people do not drink and drive. It is true that young people, more than any other group of statistically significant individuals, take taxis. However, they do drink and drive and are killed.

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