Drunk-Driving Is OK. Really, Ireland?

By Cornelius Nunev


Officials in Kerry county, Ireland, have voted in favor of giving somewhat drunk-driving a lawful pass. Ireland's Department of Justice has yet to weigh in on the issue.

Passes for individuals who drive drunk

Councilor Danny Healy-Rae explained that older residents in rural Kerry county get worried that they will lose their driver's licenses over one or two drinks, and then they fear depression as they are isolated at home. This is why Healy-Rae drafted regulation that gives a pass to individuals who are found driving drunk.

"I see the merit in having a stricter rule of law for when there's a massive volume of traffic and where there's busy roads with massive speed," Healy-Rae told Irish newspaper The Journal. "But on the roads I'm talking about, you couldn't do any more than 20 or 30 miles per hour and it's not a big deal. I don't see any big issue with it."

Alcohol essential for a lot of people

One of the biggest issues in the area is isolation, according to Healy-Rae. He believes that too many older people are committing suicide after being left alone without licenses in their home.

"All the wisdom and all the wit and all the culture that they had is being lost as a result," he said.

Many people do not like it

According to Kerry Mayor Terry O'Brien, the law does not make any sense and is a very dangerous thing to even consider. He believes that people have to avoid being severely impaired, which occurs when there is an excessive amount drinking. He does not approve of the legislation.

"I don't know what expertise one would have to look at someone in a bar to give them a permit to drive a car after any alcohol," O'Brien added.

Alcohol Action Ireland rep Conor Cullen is in O'Brien's corner when it comes to the drunk-driving motion. He noted that anti-drunk-driving measures have lowered Ireland's road fatalities by 42 percent over the past four years. Cullen feels that the brand new drunk-driving permissiveness will only serve to tear down the work that has been done.

"Almost one in three crash deaths in Ireland are alcohol-related," Cullen said. "Even in small amounts, alcohol impairs driving ability - any amount of alcohol increases the risk of involvement in a fatal crash."




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