BAR OWNERS have criticised Government proposals to reduce blood-alcohol limits for drivers.
The Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey, confirmed yesterday he was pushing ahead with plans to cut blood-alcohol levels by up to 75 per cent for certain drivers over the coming months.
Members of the Vintners' Federation of Ireland (VFI) meeting in Carlow yesterday said any reduction would result in the "criminalisation of people who have just one drink" and would "further isolate rural dwellers".
Publicans have responded angrily to recommendations by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) to reduce the current limit of 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg for ordinary drivers and down to 20mg for learner and commercial drivers.
"We do not believe that changing the blood-alcohol levels will reduce the number of deaths on our roads," said Padraig Cribben, VFI chief executive.
"The recognised number one killer on our roads in speed, yet 66 per cent of those caught speeding end up with no conviction or fine. The Government has to get its priorities right on this issue."
Val Hanley, who took over as president of the VFI yesterday, said people were being trapped in their homes by "harsh" new laws.
"A person who has one pint is being criminalised and put off the road with risk to their jobs and families and branded a drunk driver. Much of Ireland is very rural, and we're ending up with people trapped in their homes and put in situations where they are losing their minds and in some cases doing serious harm to themselves."
Mr Hanley described the pub as "the cultural hub" of any rural community. "We've lost the post office, the local shop and the Garda station, so any new blood-alcohol reduction would be very harsh at this point in time."
Mr Dempsey confirmed on RTÉ's Morning Ireland yesterday that it "had been agreed that levels will be reduced".
"By how much and in what manner and what penalties will be implemented has yet to be worked out." The RSA recommendations were not unusual "in the sense that it's making a distinction between ordinary drivers and inexperienced and professional drivers".
He said the RSA recommendations would be taken into account when drawing up the Road Traffic Actl over the coming months.
Mr Hanley told the VFI meeting - it represents 5,000 publicans outside Dublin - that the organisation would be actively tackling the problem of under-age drinking.
He said VFI members planned to sit down with national sporting bodies, including the GAA and FAI, to see how they can "educate young people". "We want controlled and responsible drinking, and there are great influencers in the community who we hope to work with to reduce under-age drinking and drug abuse."