P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

According to experts, many factors make up the alcohol concentration in a blood, breath or urine sample such as one's weight or gender as men tend to process alcohol faster than women. Similarly, it can be affected by one's metabolism,current stress levels, whether one has eaten recently or one's age as younger people tend to process alcohol more slowly. This varies from person to person. I note that one of the aforementioned factors is that younger people tend to process alcohol slower. Consequently, as most of those in the first two years of their driving licence will be younger people, the Minister will be doling out a double whammy to them. Moreover, I am told that in the scientific world, 0.02% is the lowest possible limit that it is possible to accurately determine and some even question the accuracy of measurements at this level.

When travellers set off a metal detector, they are not arrested and convicted of gun smuggling or terrorism. While everyone with a gun will set off the metal detector, most people who set off the metal detector do not have a gun. The Minister must understand that not everyone who has had a drink is going to have an accident or injury or kill someone. The Minister should try to discover other more accurate methods of accident prevention, rather than punishing everyone for the sins of a few. The Minister is racing to the lowest common denominator again.

See this speech in context