An Ireland South MEP says Ireland should follow Spain’s lead in lowering drink driving limits.
Fianna Fáil MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú made the call.
It comes after the Spanish government confirmed its plans to reduce the blood alcohol limit for all drivers next year.
MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú is a member of the EU Transport Committee.
She wants Ireland to follow Spain’s lead in reducing the blood alcohol limit for drink driving from 0.5 grammes per litre down to 0.2 grammes per litre.
Ms Ní Mhurchú believes the new lower limit that Spain has introduced puts them on the same level as Norway and Sweden, which she says are two of the safest countries in Europe in terms of road safety.
The Fianna Fáil MEP also feels learner drivers should not be allowed to consume any alcohol when learning how to drive; she says Ireland should follow the lead of countries like Italy and Germany in lowering the legal alcohol limits for learner drivers to zero.
MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú says the number of mandatory intoxication testing checkpoints conducted by An Garda Síochána in Kerry increased from 515 checkpoints in Q4 2022 to 750 checkpoints in Q4 last year.
She claims there’s an issue with repeat offending when it comes to drink and drug driving in this country, and says 265 drivers were arrested in 2023 for intoxicated driving more than once.
