asked the Minister for Local Government if he will consider taking the powers necessary to allow the courts to convict, on charges of drunken driving, persons in respect of whom more than a specified quantity of alcohol in the blood is demonstrated by means of a blood test.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Drunken Driving Charges.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he proposes to take the powers necessary to ban from driving for life persons convicted in the courts of driving a car while drunk.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 and 81 together.
Proposals for road traffic legislation are under active consideration and I hope to submit them to the Government in the near future. I shall not be in a position to indicate policy on any particular suggestion for amendment of the law until I obtain the decisions of the Government on my proposals.
I should add, with regard to Question No. 81, that there is nothing in existing legislation to prevent a court from imposing disqualification for driving for life in the case of any person convicted of driving while drunk, if the court considers that the circumstances warrant it.