Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 1: To ask the Minister for Transport when he expects to lower the legal blood-alcohol level for drivers, as has been recommended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18001/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The Road Safety Strategy 2007-2012, approved by the Government in October 2007, identifies the need to legislate for and introduce a reduction in the legal blood-alcohol content, BAC, for drivers but does not specify what that level should be. In determining what the BAC limit should be reduced to the advice of the Road Safety Authority, RSA, was sought. The RSA's recommendations have been received and the Government, in noting the contents of the authority's report at last week's Cabinet meeting, agreed that the RSA's report be published and taken into account in preparing new road traffic legislation this year.

The issue of lowering the BAC limits will now move into the work underway to prepare for the text of a Road Traffic Bill, which also includes the issue of appropriate penalties for drink driving and other road traffic offences. I hope to bring the heads of the Bill to the Government later this summer.

Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I wish the Minister well as he resumes his duties.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Will the Acting Chairman welcome us also?

Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Indeed I do.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Does the Minister accept the recommendations and will they be implemented in full? This applies particularly to the reduction of the blood-alcohol content limit to 20 milligrams for drivers of buses, taxis and commercial vehicles as this is very important. Does the Minister, like me, receive representations from the vintners' federation and associations around Ireland? Everybody accepts that the blood-alcohol content limit must be reduced, as is recommended in the report, but does the Minister feel we should reduce vehicle registration tax, VRT, to make it attractive to publicans to provide transport for customers to and from the pub? I understand the Road Safety Authority would not be against providing special training for such drivers. Another view is that a special public service vehicle, PSV, licence could be issued to such publicans to help get people home, particularly in rural areas. This is an issue that has been brought to my attention and could be dealt with while simultaneously reducing the blood-alcohol content limit to the recommended level.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Perhaps I did not hear the Minister clearly. Did he say the recommendations on reductions have not been accepted?

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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No decision has been made on the recommendations, other than to publish the report and for me to draft legislation on the basis of it. A decision will then be made by the Government on the basis of the completed legislation.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The key point is that the Government has not agreed to accept the recommended reduction in the blood-alcohol content limit. Is that the current position?

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The Government has neither accepted nor rejected the recommendations.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Basically the Minister is waffling on this issue, as usual.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I am just answering the Deputy's question.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The Minister answered my question and waffled away. The fact is——

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I will not give the Deputy the opportunity to twist this. The recommendations have been noted by the Government.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The Government has not accepted the recommendations. I am entitled to speak. The Government is not biting the bullet on this issue. We in Fine Gael accept that the Road Safety Authority's recommended reduction in the blood-alcohol content limit must be implemented. The Minister is on record as saying he would accept the recommendation but now he says the Government has neither accepted nor rejected it.

In the context of reducing penalties, there is legislation that allows the Minister to have reduced penalties for people with lower than 100 milligrams in blood-alcohol content but above 80 milligrams. The Minister has refused to introduce such a reduced penalty with a fixed fine and a ban of three months from driving, without the need for a court appearance. He is not facing the issue and is bound to pressure groups. He is not doing his job and is not making roads safer.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy seeks a softer penalty regime for people with a blood-alcohol content of between 80 milligrams and 100 milligrams, despite the fact——

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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This is in the Minister's legislation. It is a penalty that he included.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I know it is in the legislation but I did not bring it in.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The Minister voted for it.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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That section of the Bill has not commenced.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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It was passed by the Oireachtas.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy sought a fair chance to speak. It has not commenced because I do not believe that it is the best way to proceed at the moment. It could give a signal that we are going soft on drink driving involving people with a blood-alcohol content of between 80 milligrams and 100 milligrams. The Deputy's proposal that we introduce this measure would convey the impression that we are going soft and I do not want to do that.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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On a point of order, the Government of which the Minister was a member passed the legislation.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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It has not commenced.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The Minister has refused to commence it but the former Taoiseach is on record as saying he wants reduced penalties. This is a reduced penalty the Minister could introduce but he has not done so.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Talk about waffling. Does the Deputy want reduced penalties or increased penalties?