Organisations representing publicans said yesterday that the suggestion by the Garda Commissioner, Mr Pat Byrne, of a total ban on driving by drinkers was ill-advised and unpractical. The real problem with fatal road accidents is speed, not alcohol, according to the Licensed Vintners' Association (LVA).
Fine Gael's environment spokesman, Mr Alan Dukes, said he could see political difficulties in reducing the current level of 80mg of alcohol to one litre of blood, as Mr Byrne was saying.
Speaking on RTE radio, Mr Dukes said other EU countries had lower levels than Ireland, but no country had a zero level.
He suggested that a better policing solution to the problem of road deaths would be an increase in high-visibility Garda patrol cars on main roads.
The Independent TD for South Kerry, Mr Jackie Healy-Rae, said there was no doubt in his mind that rural pubs would be "wiped out" if the Government were to entertain the Commissioner's suggestion.
In an interview in The Irish Times, Mr Byrne said on Tuesday that hard decisions needed to be taken about driving and drinking. He said a total ban on alcoholic consumption by drivers might be desirable.
Mr Frank Fell, chief executive of the LVA, which represents Dublin publicans, said the proposal would not affect that many of his members as research had shown that in Dublin about 60 per cent of their customers walked to and from their locals. "But it would be the nail in the coffin of rural pubs as we now know them."
Mr John Mansworth, president of the Vintners Federation of Ireland, said that the pub was the main social outlet, particularly in rural Ireland, and to reduce the limit would threaten the very essence of social life as well as a part of a unique culture and heritage.
Moreover, Mr Mansworth added, there was no evidence that reducing alcohol limits reduced the incidence of road accidents. The principal killer on the road was speed, he claimed.
"I will argue till the cows come home that speed is the main problem", Mr Healy-Rae said. Also, he added, if he had the power, he would ban the importation of second-hand tyres. He said he was lucky recently to survive when a nail punctured a tyre in a new car he was in on the Limerick-Nenagh road.
A passenger was Mr Denis Foley, Fianna Fail's TD for North Kerry.
Mr Fell said there was little evidence that reducing the limit from 100mg to 80mg had made much difference in reducing death on the roads. He added that there was a hard core of drink-drivers for whom it would not matter whether the legally allowed limit was 100, 80 or zero.
Introducing a zero level would penalise ordinary people while not tackling the real problem of speed, according to Mr Fell.
Mr Mansworth said road accident statistics from other European countries with a lower limit than Ireland showed that reducing the limit did not reduce the number of accidents or deaths on the road.
Portugal, he added, had a lower limit than Ireland, but nearly three times as many deaths on the road.
"There is really no justification at this time for a total ban on alcohol consumption by drivers or a reduction in the alcohol limit", Mr Mansworth said. "The majority of people who drink are mature and responsible, and I believe they, too, would believe that Commissioner Byrne's comments on a total alcohol ban is not the solution to reducing the number of accidents on our roads".
Mr Healy-Rae said he knew Commissioner Byrne well and had the highest respect for him, but speed and not alcohol was "the real murderer on our roads".