Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

The provision of roadside testing devices is at prototype stage. The Medical Bureau of Road Safety is keeping abreast of developments in this regard. I am aware such devices are available in Australia and wish they were the norm here. The medical bureau is following up on the matter. I look forward to these devices being accepted in Europe and recommended for use here.

On administrative penalties, I had no hand, act or part in the matter which the Deputy said was covered in the newspapers last week. I knew nothing about the matter until I read the article. There is nothing new about administrative fines. They are provided for in earlier legislation but are not yet being enforced. We must decide whether a person found guilty of driving with between 50mg and 80mg of alcohol in their bloodstream should be disqualified from driving or awarded penalty points, which in some cases, depending on how many penalty points one has accrued, could disqualify a person from driving anyway.

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