Govt assurances over random breath testing
Wednesday, 1 February 2006
The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has assured the Dáil that new legislation allowing for random breath testing is receiving priority from the Government.
He was responding to Green Party leader Trevor Sargent, who pointed to the increased death toll on the roads in January and claimed that if it continued it would lead to 60 more deaths during the course of the year.
Earlier, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny asked about the Attorney General's advice on random testing, claiming that there appeared to be confusion over the issue.
The Taoiseach said the Attorney General's advice was clear, that there would have to be legislation to back random testing. He said the issue was how such testing could be proportional.
Roisin Shortall of Labour claimed that the promise of legislation could be seen as putting the issue on the 'long finger', as the Garda Commissioner had told the Transport Committee last week that adequate powers existed to allow random breath testing.
- Morning Ireland: John Farrelly, Garda National Traffic Bureau, details the measures introduced to try to lower the number of Irish road deaths
- Morning Ireland: Charlie Bird, Chief News Correspondent, speaks to John Drea, whose 20-year-old daughter died in a road accident
- Nine News: Eileen Whelan reports that it is hoped to ease administration and lead to a greater garda presence on the roads
- Six One News: Eileen Whelan reports on questions raised on the issue in today's Dáil session
