Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for Transport his policy in pursuing a change in EU and Irish law to allow Irish courts impose a penalty of alcohol interlock devices on convicted drink drivers; if his attention has been drawn to moves in several other EU countries to provide for such devices; and the proposals he will be bringing under the proposed Road Traffic Bill to enact legislation in this regard. [9176/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Standards for new passenger cars in the EU are specified in a range of EU type-approval directives that are incorporated into a system known as EU Whole Vehicle Type Approval, WVTA. WVTA facilitates the achievement of a single market for cars through harmonised safety and environmental standards. New cars must have WVTA in order to be placed on the market in the EU. Once a car has WVTA, it must be given access to the EU market and it is not open to a member state to unilaterally require additional equipment to be fitted in a car.

The inclusion in motor vehicles of technology of the type outlined by the Deputy is not required under the EU motor vehicle type-approval system. Accordingly, it would not be open to Ireland to require the installation of such equipment in motor vehicles. I will, however, be watching technical developments in this area, particularly as in regards the effectiveness of the technology in reducing drink driving.