A WOMAN WHO was involved in a road collision with a drunk driver has hit out at comments made by Kerry TD Danny Healy-Rae.
Speaking this afternoon on RTÉ’s Liveline, Eimear (who did not give her last name) described being struck head on by another vehicle in a road traffic collision two years ago.
“I was in a car accident, I was a passenger in a vehicle that was hit – head on collision with someone who was drink driving,” said Eimear.
She said that the collision occurred on a Saturday in Co Kerry.
Eimear was injured in the incident, receiving a number of broken bones.
“If the car I was driving in was going even 10 km/h faster I’m pretty sure my injuries would be significantly more serious and probably more life-threatening than they were,” she said.
The case went through the courts and the motorist involved was convicted of drink driving.
Eimear was inspired to share her story following comments made by Danny Healy-Rae in an Oireachtas Transport Committee yesterday.
Healy-Rae was addressing plans by Transport Minister Shane Ross to automatically ban people who are caught with alcohol in their systems while driving.
Healy-Rae took issue with Ross’ plans, saying they were an attack on rural life.
He said that “three glasses” in a pub was the “only option” many rural people had and said that losing their licence would be a “serious issue”.
“Nobody caused a fatality by having three glasses of Guinness drank,” he said.
Eimear took issue with these comments, following her own incident.
“Any amount of alcohol is going to have an effect on your system,” she said.
Eimear said isolation is a significant issue for people in rural communities.
She said that proper public transport should be arranged in rural areas to help tackle this issue.
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