OPPOSITION PARTIES have criticised Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey over a fresh delay in the introduction of new drink-driving limits.
Evidential breath-testing (EBT) machines used in Garda stations to measure alcohol in a driver’s breath cannot be recalibrated to deal with the lower limit of 20mg per 100ml of blood.
As reported in The Irish Times yesterday, new machines to read the lower limit – to apply to inexperienced and professional drivers – will not be available until mid-2011.
Fine Gael’s road safety spokesman Shane McEntee claimed Mr Dempsey had “never checked” whether the machines could take account of the new limits. “Noel Dempsey has failed his own breathalyser test. It’s typical of Minister Dempsey to leap before he looks, and bring in new legislation without checking whether it can be implemented,” Mr McEntee said.
“And it’s typical of the lack of joined-up thinking within Fianna Fáil to have purchased breathalyser machines which cannot be easily recalibrated, leaving taxpayers to pick up the tab.”
Labour Party spokesman on transport Tommy Broughan said he had raised the issue of EBT machines with the Minister over a year ago. He said he was told the machines would be ready by the end of 2009 or early 2010.
“Minister Dempsey’s attempt to change the drink-driving law would appear to be turning into another debacle on the scale of the Minister’s previous disastrous episodes on provisional drivers, e-voting and the Limerick drainage scheme,” he said.
Mr Broughan called on Mr Dempsey to explain to the Dáil why the introduction of the Bill did not coincide with preparation to replace the older machines. “The Minister should also explain why he didn’t first ensure that all of the necessary infrastructure and facilities for implementing the proposed new laws were in place,” he said.
Mr Dempsey yesterday said the new instruments were planned to be installed in Garda stations over the summer of 2011.“It is crucial to ensure that the operation of the analysis machinery is robust,” he said. “Due to the highly litigious nature of road traffic law in Ireland, it is vital to ensure that the new equipment and procedures are watertight.”
He said he asked the Medical Bureau of Road Safety to consider operation of the measures in the new Bill. The bureau had set out a programme explaining how this should be procured, he said. His department would ensure speedy provision of the new equipment.
It is understood the new equipment will cost about €800,000.
