Breathalysers ‘should be for sale in pharmacies’ - FF
Waterford City and County Council is calling on the Government to supply pharmacies with breathalyser kits to prevent drivers from failing morning-time roadside tests.
Fianna Fáil councillor James Tobin said he was proposing the measure “on behalf of the people of Ireland, who are doing their best to obey the law”.
The west Waterford-based councillor had been approached by rural people “afraid of their lives” to go to work the ‘morning-after’ a drink. He said some European countries support the test-kit initiative.
Transport Minister Shane Ross has introduced stricter drink-driving legislation and increased morning-time checkpoints. People attending celebratory events, such as weddings or matches, “want to feel safe about driving to work or bringing children to school” the next day, said Mr Tobin.
He said the minister was “hell-bent on putting us all off the road”, adding: “We don’t want to make ‘holy Joes’ out of everyone that can’t have a drink.”
He proposed that the Government provide the kits free and reimburse pharmacies and accepted an amendment by Independent councillor Matt Shanahan that pharmacists receive a dispensing fee and sell devices at cost price.
Fianna Fáil councillor Michael J O’Ryan said he did not condone drink-driving, but said the motion would remove a degree of fear from predominantly rural and increasingly isolated residents. He noted people are also reluctant to go for a drink at night, which, in turn, impacted negatively on the taxi industry.
Opposing the measure, Sinn Féin councillor Joe Conway said: “Filling people with drink and then giving them a breathalyser to test themselves next morning is an Irish solution to an Irish problem.”
The motion was adopted, with Mr Conway against and five Sinn Fein colleagues abstaining.
