Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 121: To ask the Minister for Transport when he will legislate for mandatory blood testing for alcohol at the scene of accidents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35097/10]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Sections 9 and 15 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 provides for the mandatory testing of drivers in certain circumstances. Part 2 of this Act, which includes sections 9 and 15, consolidated many of the previous intoxicated driving provisions, including new provisions on lower blood alcohol limits. As the intoxicated driving provisions are inter-related, I intend to commence all those sections together when the new Evidential Breath Testing (EBT) instruments have been procured and are in place next year. However, I now intend to move to introduce mandatory testing of drivers in certain circumstances, including at collision sites at the earliest feasible date. I am therefore, moving to amend the existing legislation in order to introduce mandatory testing. I intend to publish the Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2010 very shortly.