Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
ONE IN FIVE people in Ireland think convicted drink drivers should be given an exemption from their driving ban in order to drive to work.
According to a survey carried out by Amarach Research for RTÉ’s Claire Byrne Live, 66% of people in Ireland said convicted drink drivers should not be given an exemption from their driving ban, while 21% said they should.
13% of respondents were unsure.
The poll comes after The Sunday Business Post last week reported that junior transport minister Brendan Griffin has asked officials to study a system currently operating in New Zealand.
In New Zealand, banned drivers can apply for an exemption if a driving ban causes them “extreme hardship”, such as a need to get to work.
Applicants for a limited licence in New Zealand have to apply to a court and prove that not being able to drive causes extreme hardship to themselves or undue hardship to someone else, such as an employer or dependents.
In a statement to Virgin Media’s Tonight Show on Monday, Minister Ross said “this idea is a non-runner”.
“Absolutely no question of countenancing any idea of exempting anyone. This idea is a non-runner,” Ross said.
“If the vinters want to suggest ways of stopping driving drinking alcohol, let’s hear them,” he said.
The Bill will not be amended. No exceptions. We have introduced lifesaving legislation. We will not be diluting it.
Speaking to the media on Monday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that his initial sense is that he’d be “sceptical about it as a proposal that’s workable”.
“If someone is banned from driving they’re banned for a reason. If you were to make an exception around travelling to and from work I’d wonder about the enforceability of that,” Varadkar said.
How would you establish whether they were or not going to and from work? What if their job involved driving around the place, if they were a GP or a public health nurse or a taxi driver?
“My initial sense is one of scepticism.”
The poll was carried out by Amarach Research on Monday with more than 1,000 adults in the Republic of Ireland.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
So four out of five people in favour of banned drivers staying banned.
@Darach Malone: ?? 66 percent is 4 out of 5 – ?
Actually it is 2 out of 3 which nearly sounds better – but your point is taken
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: its 80% not 66%
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: Are you working in the dept of finance or health by any chance?
@Bilbo Baggins: @Conchuir: He is correct in what he is saying, 66% say no and 13% are unsure.
Specsavers is open today lads.
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: accepted niall
In other news, 1in 5 people are no longer entitled to have an opinion!
@Mel Fitzpatrick: And the other 4 in 5 think they shouldn’t be allowed to drive to work….
@Mel Fitzpatrick: 1 in 5 clearly drink drive
@Ian Breathnach: I do not drink and drive and I happen to think that there could be certain specific circumstances where a court might decide to allow someone convicted of drink driving to drive to relieve a hardship, and not always their own hardship. There are many examples one could give … And remember it is a court ruling on a hardship – it is called discretion and applies to many laws, including probation, and some people just over the limit would not have been banned until recently and I believe the courts can give a person their full licence back while still serving the ban, after after 1/2 the period has passed ( I read for bans over 2 years) – not everyone serves their full van anyway.
Obviously it might be very difficult to put forward a case where there is lots of public transport – but not everyone has a bus (dart or Luas or taxi service) and not everyone can walk to the shops.
This is not to deminish the seriousness of the offence or the punishment or accepting the consequences of their actions – but not everyone is affected equally by a driving ban and putting someone on the unemployment register is not always the most desirable outcome.
But the norm should be to retain the ban, it is the exceptions that maybe need to be looked at.
@Mel Fitzpatrick: opinion yes drive no
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: Are you serious? The person caught drink driving know the possible consequences of their actions. There should be no sympathy, amnesty or what ever way you want to tart it up. Drink driving is like loading a gun, pointing it into a crowd of people and firing, you might not hit anyone but does it make it okay? No. You are making an irresponsible judgement that may have repercussions for far more than yourself.
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: and as for “putting someone on the unemployment register” absolutely! No person is pouring it down their neck and I’d much rather them collecting social welfare than me collecting a death cert of a loved one.
@Ian Breathnach: Don’t think he is referring to people who drive home from the pub , but more like someone in a case of emergency or someone who’s gone out the night before, got the taxi home , gets up the next day felling ok but not realising that they are maybe still a fraction over the limit.
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: Drink driving kills, everyone knows the law and the dangers involved. If you take the risk you deserve no mercy. Do CPR on a victim of drink driving and come back to me
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: how do u police it. Is the onus on the guard to find out if they are genuinely going to work? It’s ridiculous and impossible to police
@David Weston: in my point I never mentioned driving home from the pub. It is never okay to drive with alcohol in your system to the point it puts you over the limit…. its that simple, stop trying to justify any aspect of it.
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: Surely if sufficient special circumstances exist in the lives of the convicted drink drivers, to justify considering the lunatic proposal to allow convicted drink drivers back on the road early, those same convicted drink drivers have already, by virtue of their own ” Special circumstances ” been even more irresponsible than those without special circumstances. If they and their loved ones are so dependent on them driving and they still abused their right to drive, what makes anyone think they can give a guarantee to only drive to work etc. Absolutely crackers to compare crimes that easily result in death and disfigurement with general mandatory sentence crimes I’d say. Double the sentence if the special circumstances were not enough to keep drunk drivers out of their car. End of.
You don’t drink alcohol by accident. You know what you’re doing and you know what happens if you get caught.
The extreme hardship is the consequence brought on by the person themselves.
1 in 5 in favour means 4 in 5 NOT in favour… Case dismissed, next please.
@Dominic Leleu: Now now Dominic, I’ve happily given the man several sharp shots on his views supporting nonsense laws but you can’t dispute fact, he’s correct only on the figures. If 13% are unsure then you’ve no right to lump them in with those against. No further answers :)
The fact this is even being discussed by our politicians is pathetic.
@Dublin Cycling: Surely discussion is never pathetic.
@Dylan Cotter: Responsible discussion I mean :)
Should give them a bag of cans for the drive too.
@Duncan Paul: Haha! Only fair they should be allowed to drive in the bus lane too because they might need a bit of room. Maybe a Gardai escort with some spare cans in case they run out.
What a ridiculous suggestion for a law. Maybe we should give gangsters a discount on weapons as a work expense while we’re at it
Get on your bike
100% of drink drivers think they should be allowed to drive while drunk. I would put them in jail.
Ha ! The employer of drunk drivers should be informed of their arrest as standard practice. Let them decide if they want to help their moronic employees get to work. Can’t believe this is even being discussed ! Drink driving penalties are too lax as it is !
The proposal is to allow limited use of a car at certain times at the discretion of the courts to relieve a specific hardship – not a blanket licence to go back on the road.
The probation act and suspended sentence can apply to many crimes and is at the discretion of the courts – why not this as well. It is a problem with mandatory punishments – they do not take into account their consequences – but in most cases a ban should be a ban – end of.
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: in ALL cases there should be a ban, everyone knows the consequences if you do.
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: Why not this as well you ask ? Because drink driving causes death and disfigurement and there is no reduction in those life sentences. The special circumstances didn’t matter to the drink driver so why should they be credited with them at the other end ? They shouldn’t, double the sentence, unless the special circumstances were really really special, then treble the sentence to reflect their disregard for others rights and their stupidity. Simple as really.
Probably the same 1 in 5 who voted for Peter Casey in the presidential election. Some folk are just not to be trusted with decisions.
How about introducing uber drivers in Ireland.lack of taxis in rural areas and towns outside of the main cities is enticing people to “chance” driving home after a pint or 2/3.plenty young guys around “cruising” through country towns could make a few euro at the weekend and keep drink drivers off the road
@Declan: plenty of taxis knocking around dublin with unlicensed drivers , no insurance , no garda clearance / checks . we dont need to encourage anymore !
@Eric Davies: so your saying there’s plenty taxis in Dublin because I’m talking about outside of the cities.and you need all those checks to become an uber driver.if it stops drink driving and deaths then I think it would be a success
@Declan: would you like a load of drunks in your car at 2am? Doubt anyone would.
Guaranteed this survey was carried out in D4.
If you ask people who are really affected by these stupid laws you would get a different answer
@Pius Flynn: You mean people who have been the victims of drunken drivers up and down the country?
@Pius Flynn: I almost live in D4 and I agree, suppose one lives alone or with a sick or elderly relative and 5 miles from the nearest shops and is the only breadwinner – no Luas, dart, bus or taxi – then the effects on all a lot worse and maybe the courts could have some discretion to allow that person drive to work and get supplies – particularly if it works elsewhere.
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: no
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: Don’t drink and drive then. Moron.
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: Don’t drink and drive then. This is not complicated.
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: simple solution to that……don’t drink and drive
@Kenny Hyslop: I find it bizarre how people just don’t get this. It seems like a lot of people feel they have a right and/or obligation to get twisted every time they enter a pub. Perfectly possible to have a drink or two, enjoy the night out and still not be over the limit next morning. Just requires a small bit of personal responsibility, but I suppose that’s where the problem is.
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: I live 8km to the nearest shop / pub in Wexford and I hate the concept of having a pint and driving. A number of years ago on a beautiful summers day whilst cutting the grass I had 2 beers in the garden, unfortunately the dog had to go to the vet that night, and subsequently died. I drove, breathalyzed, and banned for 2 years, for 2 years I cycled to the shop, changed career and worked from home, desolate, isolated and totally demoralized, 4 years later I have never recovered. I know I did wrong, but I was an important person in business, till then.
Ridiculous idea. If you drive don’t drink alcohol at all at all, it’s a no no. If caught bear full consequences. Be responsible to society.
One in five people were caught drunk driving
In other words, four out of five are against it, and rightly so. People have to learn to behave responsibly. I wonder how many of the morning mishaps on the m50 are caused by people who were drinking the previous night and thought they’d be grand after a night’s rest?
Only if they would be willing to be individually tested x 20 times over the following year at the descresion of the Gardaí.
@C_O’S: no excuses , you are not forced to drink and drive and know the penalties, why should there be ANY exemptions?
I’m not one to promote drink driving or a person who thinks it is acceptable but this system works in “modern countries” like the U.S, Australia and New Zealand. But it will never be adopted here as we are a more superior country!!
@Bull McCabe: On what evidence does it ” Work ” in other countries. It may well be in place but how is the effectiveness measured ?
What percentage of people think that it’s OK for alcoholics to have a few pints at the weekend?
100% of drink drivers think they should be allowed to drive while drunk. Everyone else thinks they’re stupid.
@Kenny Hyslop: How far over the limit would a driver become a drunk driver? If you would be drunk after a BAC reading of 21mg then you should just give up drinking.
Haha ah stop…what’s the point in banning them so. How does the guard on the side of the road know they are going to work or not. Is the onus on the guard to prove otherwise. This is a ridiculous idea and the one in five supporting it are away with the fairies
Stupid survey….it should be easy you lose your licence if convicted of being over the limit and dont get it back ever.
The system in Australia works well. You are allowed to drive at certain times you get too and from work only. You also have to display E plates for extraordinary licence. Can be applied for in a few situations like exceeding penalty points and drink driving. Also the penalty varies depending on the range of breath sample. Low range is between 0.05 and 0.08 and a lot of the time over here the low range would not result in a ban. 0.08 was the legal limit in Ireland up to a few years ago.
Whats next? Get a 15 yr sentence for murder but just serve mon to friday… if your banned your banned…simple
You couldn’t make this stuff up, how much taxpayers money was spent on this ” SURVEY ” time these parasitic companies were sent packing, surveys and consultants, what a shower of chancers, stop feeding them money :)
have your say