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Healy-Rae: Drink-driving bill will cause “isolation and loneliness”
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Kilgarvan TD Danny Healy-Rae has voiced his “disappointment” following the passing of a bill that will see an automatic disqualification for drivers on their first offence of driving while over the permitted 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.
The law currently states that a person with a full license who is caught driving with an alcohol level between 50mg and 80mg is liable to get three penalty points on their license and a €200 fine.
Healy-Rae also criticised Fianna Fáil for abstaining from Minister Shane Ross’ drink-driving bill, which was passed by a majority of 85 votes to eight in the Dáil.
In a statement, Healy-Rae condemned Fianna Fáil for removing themselves from the vote.
“I was amazed that the Fianna Fáil TD's abstained on the instruction of their leadership,” he said. “This will cause further isolation and loneliness to so many people in rural parts of Kerry, where we don't have access to public transport, i.e. Dart, Luas, buses, trains or even taxis.”
“There is no difference now between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. They seem to be more interested in the Dublin vote.”
He went on to thank Michael Collins, Clare Daly, Michael Fitzmaurice, Michael Lowry, Mattie McGrath and Mick Wallace who also opposed the new legislation. Meanwhile, Minister Ross was left red-faced when he mistakenly voted against his own bill before quickly acknowledging his mistake.
Healy-Rae has courted controversy with his outspoken views on this issue in the past, famously claiming that eating a big meal and getting behind the wheel of a car is as dangerous as drink-driving.
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