Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

A road traffic Bill that, inter alia, provides for a reduction in the blood alcohol concentration levels for drivers is nearing completion. The preparation of legislation takes time and I am sure Deputies will agree that it is important to get it right.

The Bill will take account of the blood alcohol concentration levels proposed by the Road Safety Authority, RSA, last year. The implementation of the new levels, when the legislation has been enacted, will require the recalibration or replacement and subsequent recertification of both the roadside breathalysers and evidential breath testing machines in Garda stations. The Bill will also include provision for the mandatory testing for alcohol of drivers involved in road traffic collisions and provisions for field impairment testing, that is, non-technological methods by which gardaí can make a preliminary assessment about the possible presence of drugs. A number of amendments will be included to improve the effectiveness of the fixed charge and penalty points system.

As Deputies will be aware, we have seen a sustained reduction in the number of people killed on our roads. For example, 2008 saw the lowest number of road deaths on record at 279, despite the fact that, in the past decade, there has been a 40% increase in the number of drivers and a 70% increase in the number of vehicles on our roads. Fatalities in the year to this morning number 128, down 18 from the same date last year. It is important to maintain this momentum. As everyone knows, each fatality and serious injury is a tragedy for families, friends and communities. I am confident that the provisions in the road traffic Bill will contribute to significant further improvements in road safety.

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