asked the Minister for Justice the total number of breathalyser cases tested from 21st December, 1970, to 21st January, 1971; and the percentage which showed blood alcohol levels in excess of the legal limit of 125 milligrammes.
58.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Breathalyser Tests.
57.
asked the Minister for Justice the number of motorists who have been convicted as a result of the breathalyser tests since they were introduced.
With your permission, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 57 and 58 together.
On a point of order.
I assume that what Deputies intend to refer to is the testing——
On a point of order.
——of blood or urine samples by the Medical Bureau of Road Safety.
On a point of order.
The breathalyser is used to detect the presence or absence of alcohol, not to measure it.
On a point of order. I asked the Minister, arising out of Question No. 56 on the appointment of the members of this visiting committee, if he would inform me as to the qualifications of the persons named by him.
It would have been open to the Deputy to put down that question.
I do not want to burden the House by putting down repetitive questions. I asked the Minister if he would give me the qualifications and basic requirements of the persons named by him.
Very well. I will go through their qualifications. Three represent the County Dublin Vocational Education Committee; they have been co-operating with the authorities in the institution to a very great extent. One is there because he is a trade union official of the No. 9 Branch of the Workers' Union of Ireland, Guinness Branch. Another is there because he is a trustee of the Shankill Youth Club; another is there because he is the secretary of the Shankill Youth Club and a member of the Bray Youth Council. The lady is there because she is a doctor. The next gentleman is a personnel officer and the last gentleman is there because he is the chairman of the Shankill Residents' Association. I think they are all adequately qualified.
With your permission, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 57 and 58 together.
I assume that what the Deputies intend to refer to is the testing of blood or urine samples by the Medical Bureau of Road Safety. The breathalyser is used to detect the presence or absence of alcohol not to measure it.
I understand that up to 21st January, 1971, the bureau had examined 191 samples in all, of which 178 showed the presence of alcohol in excess of the prescribed limit. The corresponding figures for the period from 21st December, 1970, to 21st January, 1971, are 69 and 67.
To ascertain the number of cases in which convictions have followed the finding of the presence of alcohol in excess of the prescribed limit it would be necessary to address an inquiry to the gardaí at local level throughout the country. The value of the information would not be worth the expenditure of resources that would be required to assemble it, particularly in the light of the fact that the taking of samples by doctors was suspended throughout most of the country shortly after the system was introduced in November, 1969, until December, 1970, and, accordingly, in a good proportion of cases the court proceedings have not yet concluded.