Vol. 395 No. 9
249 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for the Environment the current limits of alcohol levels which drivers of vehicles are not allowed to exceed; whether he considers this margin too tight for effective policing; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
At present, it is an offence for the driver of a vehicle to have a level of alcohol in the blood in excess of 1 milligram per millilitre of blood.
Recently, I announced that I intend to introduce amending legislation during 1990 providing for a reduction in this limit to 0.8 milligrames of alcohol per millilitre of blood. This change will bring the Irish limit into line with the limit in most EC member states.
Enforcement of the Irish limit is a matter for the gardaí. However, there is no evidence to suggest that there has not been effective enforcement of the law in this regard as it stands; nor do I consider that the reduced limit will create any undue difficulties for enforcement purposes.
