Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

The Government has accepted the road safety strategy and this means the blood-alcohol content limit will be reduced. I brought the report to Cabinet last week to inform the Government of the recommendations and to allow me to publish it as I received it from the RSA. The Government has made no decision on whether it will accept the recommendations on the blood-alcohol content limits. I was instructed to draft a Bill and bring it forward. Discussion is to take place in the context of a Bill where not only will the suggested reduction in the blood-alcohol limit be brought forward but also penalties for breaches of the limit.

Suggestions made by vintners and others on VRT reductions are matters for the Minister for Finance in the context of a budget. The question of special PSV licences has not been brought to my attention but we are trying to create safer roads so any special arrangements that are to be made should be consistent with our general attitude towards safety. We aim to ensure that people of good repute and character get PSV licences. There are many issues in this area, like those mentioned, that should be discussed. I have no doubt that over the coming months, particularly in the context of the Bill and this report, there will be further discussions before a final decision is made.

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