Seanad debates

Thursday, 27 November 2003

Road Traffic Bill 2003: Second and Subsequent Stages.

 

The focus of the Bill is to address issues that have an immediate impact on the operation of breath testing. In effect, the passage of the Bill will see the implementation of the scheme envisaged in the Road Traffic Act 2002. However, the issue of drink driving and the determination of the best approach to combating it in the future is a subject that I intend to continue to pursue. It is not acceptable that an estimated 120 people should die on our roads each year simply because a minority of drivers choose to drink. There is clear evidence linking the level of alcohol consumed by a person with their ability to respond in a cognitive manner to events around them. The next road safety strategy will have a particular focus on this issue and will see the identification of measures aimed at providing greater focus on this area. As a first step, as I indicated in the Dáil this morning, I will bring forward proposals to provide for random breath testing in the new year. These are matters for the future, however, and will be the subject of debate in this House.

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