IRELAND’S DRIVERS WILL be subjected to stricter drink-driving laws within a matter of weeks, Transport Minister Leo Varadkar revealed today.

The Minister is hoping to push through laws to allow for mandatory testing at the new, lower drink-driving limits within weeks.

A spokesperson for his department told TheJournal.ie that the legislation is a priority and that the testing of new equipment is going well.

Under the new laws, the legal blood alcohol limit will be reduced from 80mg to 50mg per 100ml of blood.

There will also be stricter rules on professional and learner drivers, who will have to adhere to a “virtually zero” rate of 20mg per 100ml of blood.

These lower limits were legislated for in the Road Traffic Act 2010 and will be implemented once the Road Traffic No. 2 Bill is passed through the Oireachtas.

The department said that arrangements around breath tests will not change. Anyone who fails a breathalyser test will be arrested and taken from their car to a Garda station.

The reductions in the blood alcohol limit mirror changes made in Queensland, Australia which saw fatal accidents fall by 18 per cent.

Commenting on the new rules, Varadkar said, “The combination of lower alcohol limits and mandatory testing represents a considerable toughening-up of the drink driving regime. It’s a necessary step to maintain the good work achieved so far in road safety, and to ensure that Ireland continues to make progress.”

Gardaí will be required to test all drivers involved in collisions, where injuries have occurred. They will also conduct tests when they suspect that a driver has consumed alcohol.

In 2010, 212 people were killed on Irish roads.