Enda Kenny was right to seek removal of the Fine Gael whip from Tipperary councillor Michael Fitzgerald because of his public opposition to anti-drink driving measures. All citizens have a responsibility to uphold the law. And that obligation should apply particularly to elected representatives. Yet Mr Fitzgerald, a self-confessed drunk driver who lost his licence, confirmed that he continues to use his car after consuming "three or four pints". And he complained about Garda efforts to prosecute offending motorists.
It is refreshing when a party leader takes his responsibilities seriously and initiates disciplinary measures in advance of a public outcry. Of course, some people will attempt to portray that reaction as being both excessive and po-faced, far removed from the kind of political understanding required. As a TD from Mayo, Mr Kenny knows exactly where those critics are coming from. People living in rural constituencies such as his have been especially inconvenienced by lower alcohol limits and breath-testing. And pub owners have lost significant business. But Mr Kenny also knows that far too many families in rural Ireland have been visited by death and injury because of drunk driving.
Alcohol abuse has been the scourge of our society for generations. And drunken driving represents one of its most dangerous aspects. Getting to grips with that threat was extremely difficult because of political pressure from the powerful drinks lobby. It is only now, after years of prevarication, half-measures and rising road deaths that alcohol consumption limits begin to reflect those of our European neighbours and a limited form of random breath-testing has been introduced.
There can be no going back. The kind of society that critics of the anti-drink driving laws portray has disappeared. Elderly men no longer get into black Morris Minors after a night of cards and drive home along empty country boreens at 20 miles per hour. They have high-powered cars. And rural roads are fast, crowded and the most dangerous of all. Last year, 396 people were killed in crashes, the highest number in four years.
Noel Brett of the Road Safety Authority has emphasised there is no safe alcohol limit for motorists. Once a single drink is consumed, reaction time is affected and crashes are more likely to occur. It is up to individual drivers to obey the law and to ensure their behaviour does not put them or their fellow citizens in danger. For too long, this society tolerated alcohol abuse and made allowances for those who drove recklessly under its malign influence. That is beginning to change.