Kerry CC support permit system which allows rural people drink and drive

Laneyh

Its unbelievable!

Even the remotest parts of rural Ireland are not that remote in reality

I recognise that the pub is the main if not the only social outlet in some parts of the country but this really takes the biscuit.

I think they should have a video conference with a county council (or equivalent) in Iceland or Canada and find out how they manage. There are places that are genuinely remote there.

Those councillors have the creativity and ingenuity of a piece of aeroboard. I doubt they can spell progressive never mind be it.

A simpler solution would be to implement a designated driver system - with free non-alcoholic drinks offered for the designated driver
Or make an arrangement with a local cab firm to have a mini bus service.

Either of these solutions would cut down on pollution, petrol costs for the punters and most importantly prevent any drink related driving accidents.

The latter option could also lead to a boost to local employment. I realise some of the pub goers may live in the back of beyonds but the bus option would be more social.
It would actually be good that someone else sees the pub goers home. If the roads are genuinely really quiet and unused one of them could be lying in a ditch for a day or two before anyone happens upon them.

Laneyh

lintdrummer wrote: »

I feel the need to clarify my posts since so many of you have taken what I've said the wrong way.
I don't agree with this proposal but I don't think many of the contributors here understand the situation. It's all well and good from the outside looking in telling everyone it's a black and white issue when it just isn't as clear cut as that. It's a deep rooted problem that won't go away unless something is put in place to counteract it. The point that I've made that is causing the most confusion is that people are drink driving and it's not the sensationalist dangerous behaviour that some are making it out to be. They are over the limit, but not drunk. That's not to say it's correct or should be excused due to circumstances but it's not deserving of being labeled neanderthal behaviour.

The same law and limit levels apply to everyone. They're unlikely to be stopped at a checkpoint in the back of beyonds but that doesn't mean that we should be making measures to facilitate drink driving. Its also pretty dodgy to try and write in exceptions because of location. Its strengthening the urban -rural divide. It would certainly make me less sympathetic to any rural issues raised in the oireachteas.

Carrying on turning a blind eye isn't great either but fairly typically Irish I suppose.
I don't see why they would request special treatment for something as stupid as this

My main question is whether this is something constituents have asked for or whether it just publican Healy-Rae's own agenda?
With more and more elderly people in rural areas being violenty robbed and many local amenities gone by the wayside I could think of better ways of forging community links.

To be honest evening living in a city you can limited options re getting home if you choose to socialise outside of your immediate environment.

Incidentally one of my friends lives in rural Kerry a different part to these bums and their local pub provide a mini-van service. The punters pay a couple of euro and get home safely. Also, as I've already said the bus is more social

Laneyh

Its also laughable that they're portraying alcohol as a solution to feelings of isolation and depression.

Seriously, I wish someone would pass a motion to prevent the Healy-Raes from breeding.They are bringing down the national IQ

Laneyh

doolox wrote: »

...and dysfunctional planning laws of the last 50 yrs.

People in rural areas do not have the same access to public transport or taxis as people from more settled areas. I know that my mother, for example, cannot get a taxi to run her to mass on a sunday about 5Km away from the village where she lives and it is impractical for her to walk as ther are no footpaths or lighting etc. The local taxi service has hinted thath the run is not long enough to be worth it and she is left waiting....they never refuse but they never arrive to get her there on time.

People in rural areas have got used to a lax level of enforcement until the last 10 years or so but now must get over the loss of spontaneous, unplanned access to social drinking opportunities. These msut now be planned and budgetted for. Most people are familiar with bingo busses and many country dance bands find no problem arranging busses so it could be done for pub frequenters with a little skill and imagination.

These are sadly lacking in many rural publicans I have known.

It is done in Scotland and other similarly sparsely poulated areas

This is very true but the council should be looking at solutions to the public transport issue not suggesting that we should go easy on the country lads
Let them have their few pints and drive home.

If the area has no taxi service then the council could organise a survey to provide justification for one. One that could be used during the day by the elderly, people with disabilities etc. and then have the secondary function of covering the pub run.

Rural pubs can mostly get away with staying open past closing time so I don't buy that they would lose out on revenue massively if they provide a solution to the transport issue.

They'll be looking to reverse the smoking ban next.

Either they're subject to the same laws as the rest of us or they're not. If not, then I want compensation. Why should I be penalised for being an urban dweller.

If the council really wanted to think outside the box they could do a bit of research into school bus and disability transport services that have been cut in rural areas in the last few years. See if there is a way that these vehicles could be used for the after pub run to raise vital funding for these services.

Axel Lamp

I have texted DHR requesting that he resign. May I request that everyone do this

His publically available mobile phone number is here, at bottom of the letter from MHR:

http://www.constituency-commission.ie/docs/11.004%20-%20Michael%20Healy-Rae%20TD%20-%20South%20Kerry.pdf

Or 087 231 6055

Laneyh

irish-stew wrote: »

Just heard this on the BBC News, sounds absolutely ridiculous, and makes me wonder what people from outside of Ireland think about us. Can see the stupid paddy stereo type coming out as a result.

A permit that allows you to drive slowly because you have had a few drinks, have heard it all now.

Fairly stupid alright but I wouldn't worry about it too much.
A clip from Halls Pictorial Weekly is doing the rounds on facebook as actual footage from Irish news.
Kerry County Council's muppetry doesn't help to dispel any stereotypes but the news in the UK seek out these ridiculous stories anyway.

I'd rather they all have a chuckle at us refusing to give up our drink than wonder why we're knocking lumps out of each other over a flag

ProudDUB

George Hook (I know, I know :rolleyes: ) interviewed several people on his show today about the issue. One of them was the head of some vintners association based in Kerry. GH asked him about the possibility of publicans in rural areas laying on some sort of transport for their patrons. Dude said that over the Christmas period, a shuttle service was in place in Kerry (he didn't say where exactly) but it didn't work as their were issues with getting the old codgers to put down their pints, and leave the pubs when the shuttle buses home were leaving. Because obviously, users of public transport should not have to arrange their drinking around a bus drivers schedule. What on earth were they thinking?

Seriously, you couldn't make this stuff up ! :eek::eek:

CorkBabe33

Oh brilliant - as if we need to reinforce the "Drunk Paddy" stereotype worldwide! The Healy-Rae's are an embarrassment, but those who constantly vote for them are worse...

languagenerd

This sort of thing drives me mental - it's unbelieveably stupid and gives a terrible image of our country when it hits foreign papers. Plus the Healy-Raes and their ilk are paid by us to come out with this nonsense. Did anyone hear the people arguing in favour of this on the Colm Hayes show earlier?

I genuinely do sympathise with people suffering isolation because they live in rural areas. My grandad would be totally lost if he didn't have the local pub to go to (thankfully, though, he has people who can drop & collect him). Their generation only ever socialised through the pub - they rarely ring each other to meet up, but they all just go to the pub on a Friday night, it's the done thing.

But it's completely and utterly ridiculous to suggest that an old man's right to drink is more important than anyone else's right to use the roads safely. When you drink-drive, it's not just yourself you're putting at risk; it's everyone on the roads. And it is incredibly selfish to do that.

What we need to do here is find an alternative solution - provide incentives for taxi drivers to travel those routes, introduce mini-bus services from pubs/villages or encourage car-pooling (cheap/free soft drinks for designated drivers or something). Or, we could address the actual issue - the fact that alcohol is the centre of our society. If these old men are so isolated - why can't they go to the pub and not drink alcohol? Why can't they meet up elsewhere, for that matter? It's ingrained, but we could/should work as a society to change this. We just don't want to.

Finally, it'd be a very very dangerous precedent to set if we said the law was different for farmers in Kerry than for everyone else. From there, what's stopping us relaxing other laws for other population groups? And what happens to "everyone is equal in the eyes of the law"?

Latchy

Can you imagine any other place in the world were the bus driver would hang around just so the patrons can finish their pints ? The more I read the more I cringe and as mentioned , you couldn't make it up .

Janedoe10

Ranicand wrote: »

Sure they are from Kerry what can we expect?

And before anybody starts trying to defend the hicks they voted for this their stupidly is on record for all to see.

Before u paint all people of kerry as hicks , they didn't vote for those dopes in the council . Good old Irish politics who feather their nests most of these guys were co- opted in the seats because daddy /uncle /cousin either died, retired or got a seat in the dail or got the golden goose of a senators job ... All the partys have done this from across our parties .... The feckers who abstained are just as bad they should hang their heads in shame .... I bet they are all tut tutting now and coming up with great excuses

There is a problem in rural Ireland , it is dying off .
There are NO outlets /social area. The days of dance halls, dancing at the crossroads are long gone . Community is dying off because of stupid planning laws by same councils making families jump over barrels for planning applications yet for others one off summer homes were given the go-ahead,,, kerry for example in the summer or west cork is beautiful in winter it is desolate ...
The publicans milked it in for years money crowds came handy for them ... But HOW DARE Healy ray blame lack of Drink in pubs for loneliness and suicide ..

Self interests and conflicts of interests are now marring this debate . Well done Healy Rae's and your like . We as a country have a lot to be proud of ... NOT

MadsL

I'd be in favour of it, however with the kicker that anyone who does have this permit is given a milkfloat that is painted bright orange. This is their only form of transport they are allowed. It is restricted to 7.5 mph and has six flashing warning lights on it. It also has a sign on the side saying "I'm a selfish cunt"

Let's see how many want a permit then.


As a suggestion, I notice that my local county can charge me with DUI for riding a horse drunk (quite a rural horse-y area) but I can legally ride a donkey home shitfaced. Perhaps we should put these donkeys on donkeys to get home.

Laneyh

I think the Healy-Rae's are from the Ryanair school of self promotion. I am not even slightly surprised by his antics.
Its just kind of sad that the motion would be passed.

To be honest if we're talking about elderly drivers they may very well have never sat a driving test in their lives.
I'd be wary enough of their driving without drink taken

Drink driving permits cannot be the ultimate solution for isolation in rural areas or lousy public transport or a whole host of other things.

Nobody was too happy when the NCT was introduced. It can seem like a bit of a con some of the time but it has erradicated complete bangers from our roads. I presume this in turn has helped with road safety.
If we're to apply the same logic that Kerry CoCo have in this case then people from rural areas shouldn't have to have their cars tested as they're driving on quiet roads and have little to no access to public transport.

If we keep going with that approach there'll be people with permits for all manner of nonsense.

michael999999

MadsL wrote: »

I'd be in favour of it, however with the kicker that anyone who does have this permit is given a milkfloat that is painted bright orange. This is their only form of transport they are allowed. It is restricted to 7.5 mph and has six flashing warning lights on it. It also has a sign on the side saying "I'm a selfish cu[SIZE="2"]nt[/SIZE]"

Let's see how many want a permit then.


As a suggestion, I notice that my local county can charge me with DUI for riding a horse drunk (quite a rural horse-y area) but I can legally ride a donkey home s[SIZE="2"]hitf[/SIZE]aced. Perhaps we should put these donkeys on donkeys to get home.

Plus they should be tazered every 5 seconds to make sure they don't doze off!

IvySlayer

Their budget should be slashed for this.

michael999999

Axel Lamp wrote: »

I have texted DHR requesting that he resign. May I request that everyone do this

His publically available mobile phone number is here, at bottom of the letter from MHR:

http://www.constituency-commission.ie/docs/11.004%20-%20Michael%20Healy-Rae%20TD%20-%20South%20Kerry.pdf

Or 087 231 6055

I have done the same.

Yakult

Who the **** keeps voting for those fools? honestly? From Kerry and don't know one person who actually votes/or takes notice of those clowns. Must be those south kerry folk or something.

kerryjack

CorkBabe33 wrote: »

Oh brilliant - as if we need to reinforce the "Drunk Paddy" stereotype worldwide! The Healy-Rae's are an embarrassment, but those who constantly vote for them are worse...

Now i think we are known as broke paddy, i think we all know that this thing is stupid and who is going to take it serious .

squod

MadsL wrote: »

I'd be in favour of it, however with the kicker that anyone who does have this permit is given a milkfloat that is painted bright orange. This is their only form of transport they are allowed. It is restricted to 7.5 mph and has six flashing warning lights on it. It also has a sign on the side saying "I'm a selfish cunt"

Let's see how many want a permit then.


As a suggestion, I notice that my local county can charge me with DUI for riding a horse drunk (quite a rural horse-y area) but I can legally ride a donkey home shitfaced. Perhaps we should put these donkeys on donkeys to get home.

Donkeys or a Kawasaki MULE. One of the small privately owned Caribean islands uses these small 4x4 yokes to ferry drunken gentry to and from house parties.



http://www.atvriders.com/atvmodels/kawasaki-2011-mule-4010-trans-4x4-diesel-utility-vehicle-utv.html

JustinDee

MadsL wrote: »

I'd be in favour of it, however with the kicker that anyone who does have this permit is given a milkfloat that is painted bright orange. This is their only form of transport they are allowed. It is restricted to 7.5 mph and has six flashing warning lights on it. It also has a sign on the side saying "I'm a selfish cunt"

Brilliant. Best post yet!

Going Forward

His idea is off the wall, but:

The essence of what he said was fairly spot on: that he is unaware of any fatal or serious accidents on relatively quiet back roads caused by people with a few pints on board.

We have become hysterical in this country regarding drink driving, having all arrived at the general consensus that mature (40-65yrs) adults who are used to taking an occasional drink will be unable to control a car on a boreen (L road, max 4 miles from home, from a designated pub) at slow speeds (50kph) after drinking 4 or 5 units. (And the likes of Ray Darcy trying to get one up on him in a tantrum this morning makes Darcy look worse!)

People have done it for years on the back roads with little problems, we've all been stuck behind someone driving slowly, cautiously and nervously home- probably excersing more care than they do with their regular daytime driving.

Not much to date has been spoken of the sheer coincidence which is:
that these quieter current times as opposed to the wild Celtic Tiger years (as characterised by the general selfish, gung-ho attitude all round, including driving) have yielded a significant reduction in road fatalities.

sock puppet

Going Forward wrote: »

Not much to date has been spoken of the sheer coincidence which is:
that these quieter current times as opposed to the wild Celtic Tiger years (as characterised by the general selfish, gung-ho attitude all round, including driving) have yielded a significant reduction in road fatalities.

What on earth are you talking about? Road fatalities have been falling for decades.

Laneyh

Going Forward wrote: »

His idea is off the wall, but:

The essence of what he said was fairly spot on: that he is unaware of any fatal or serious accidents on relatively quiet back roads caused by people with a few pints on board.

We have become hysterical in this country regarding drink driving, having all arrived at the general consensus that mature (40-65yrs) adults who are used to taking an occasional drink will be unable to control a car on a boreen (L road, max 4 miles from home, from a designated pub) at slow speeds (50kph) after drinking 4 or 5 units. (And the likes of Ray Darcy trying to get one up on him in a tantrum this morning makes Darcy look worse!)

People have done it for years on the back roads with little problems, we've all been stuck behind someone driving slowly, cautiously and nervously home- probably excersing more care than they do with their regular daytime driving.

Not much to date has been spoken of the sheer coincidence which is:
that these quieter current times as opposed to the wild Celtic Tiger years (as characterised by the general selfish, gung-ho attitude all round, including driving) have yielded a significant reduction in road fatalities.

Question: Is there a very high incidence of drink driving prosecutions in South Kerry? Are there constant garda stinger operations being carried out down there ?

If not what is the need for a permit / exemption from the law ?
I do not believe the ordinary pub going people of South Kerry are the targets of some campaign to destroy their way of life.
If all they have to save them from suicide is the pub then they have bigger issues than drink driving laws.

How are these permits to be issued? If being a resident is all that is needed to qualify then surely all of the boy racers and people who never use the pub will also be exempt.
Whether they can handle their drink or not is immaterial.

I imagine garda discretion is already used quite liberally in cases where they do stop someone. Its not really in the interests of a rural guard to alienate a good section of the community.If they stop some old duffer on his way home and he is legally over the limit but in control of his car chances are he'll get off with a warning.

I don't think it is a good idea to provide certain people with exemption from the law. Especially, when it would appear that you're relying on them to be self-regulating.

In other words what makes them so special ?

Its a pathetic thing to be lobbying about when there are pensioners freezing to death and unable to afford food.
I don't even know where the nearest hospital or amenity is to Kilgarvan
Likewise, I've no clue about the garda station but I'm guessing there isn't one in Kilgarvan

If the council really wanted to combat rural isolation they would work with local sports and community groups to rebuild a sense of community and provide services to the local residents.

He can use the pub as a social centre for these community events and make a few bob out of it for himself - which is clearly all that he is interested in.
He / they can do this without encouraging people to break the law or lead them to think that the law doesn't apply to them.

Irrespective of whether they've ever had an accident handing out exemptions is not going to end well.
The rural boundaries will keep getting revised and many more serious drink driving offences would end up being quashed.

omega666

MadsL wrote: »

I'd be in favour of it, however with the kicker that anyone who does have this permit is given a milkfloat that is painted bright orange. This is their only form of transport they are allowed. It is restricted to 7.5 mph and has six flashing warning lights on it. It also has a sign on the side saying "I'm a selfish cunt"

Let's see how many want a permit then.


As a suggestion, I notice that my local county can charge me with DUI for riding a horse drunk (quite a rural horse-y area) but I can legally ride a donkey home shitfaced. Perhaps we should put these donkeys on donkeys to get home.

In fairness speeding is the biggest single cause of road deaths.
Are people who speed bigger donkeys than drink drivers??

ProudDUB

Going Forward wrote: »

We have become hysterical in this country regarding drink driving, having all arrived at the general consensus that mature (40-65yrs) adults who are used to taking an occasional drink will be unable to control a car on a boreen (L road, max 4 miles from home, from a designated pub) at slow speeds (50kph) after drinking 4 or 5 units.

No we are not becoming hysterical. The idea that these elderly gents who drive after having taken drink, but are no harm to anyone in nonsense imo.

Take my father for example. As a young and middle aged man, he rarely drank. He worked 2 jobs all his life to take care of his family. He was far too involved with his family and charities and sports teams to be going down the pub with the lads. As a result, he never built up any tolerance of alcohol. He'd be termed someone who couldn't hold his drink. (I imagine it is the same with a lot of rural farmers who for most of their working lives were far too busy taking care of the farm to be regular pub goers. No? )

That all changed when my dad retired. He loved going to the pub of an evening, and becoming one of the local wise men. He was fine after one pint. At the end of pint #2, his speech became slightly slurred. At the end of pint #3 he'd become seriously drowsy. Give him even a drop of the hard stuff, and it was even worse. But could you tell him that he couldn't hold his liquor? No you couldn't because like most Irish men of a certain age and generation, you couldn't tell him a damm thing about the all the so called manly rituals of drinking. He was convinced that he was fine and was no threat to anyone. I loved my father dearly. He was a very, very good man, but there is no way in hell that would I want to come across him in a car on an unlit, country boreen, in driving rain and icy conditions, after he had had pint #3. No way !

This idea that elderly drinkers are harmless because they know their own limits, or that they can hold their booze, or that its no big deal coz all the driving is done on isolated roads is bull$hit imo. Sure there may be some of them that can drive safely from A to B after a few pints. But there is no way to judge it, and quantify it and separate the men from the boys, when it comes to alcohol tolerance levels & driving ability. Add in well intentioned but flawed men like my dad, their tolerance levels of alcohol or lack thereof, their age, the medications that they may be on that may react badly with alcohol, the impairment of sight and reflexes that affects us all as we get older, and I think that a very dangerous picture emerges.

That is not being hysterical. That is just adding up the facts as I see it, and coming to a conclusion that no one, ESPECIALLY THE ELDERLY should be getting behind the wheel of a car when they have drink taken. I can not for the life of me see how anyone can think that that is a good idea, ever. And no, I am not some urbanized Dub, who has no idea how bad the problem of rural isolation is. I have family members who live in very isolated parts of Ireland. I know all about how hard their problems are, but handing them a pint of Guinness along with the car keys is NOT the way to solve them imo !

LiamoSail

omega666 wrote: »

In fairness speeding is the biggest single cause of road deaths.
Are people who speed bigger donkeys than drink drivers??

Speed maybe a factor, but its not the cause. Perception, reaction time etc or there lack off are bigger factors IMO, both of which are reduced by drink

Driving at high speeds is safe once the environment is suitable, driving under the influence of drink isn't, end off

oldyouth

So it seems that Kerrymen living in isolated areas would rather stay at home and develop depression than go to the local pub to chat with their mates, play cards/darts and have a few bottles of Coke.

All the jokes I've heard in the past might have a grain of truth in them after all

Biggins

Here’s how the world reacted to the Kerry drink-driving story.

http://www.thejournal.ie/drink-driving-kerry-reaction-765371-Jan2013/

robinph

They have just covered this on BBC breakfast with an interview with Healy-Rae. Looked like he was just there to confirm the stereotype of Irish being drunken idiots... He did that job very well.

Peanut2011

robinph wrote: »

They have just covered this on BBC breakfast with an interview with Healy-Rae. Looked like he was just there to confirm the stereotype of Irish being drunken idiots... He did that job very well.

Listened to him on the Today FM last evening... MY GOD!!! He shoudl have been banned from public speaking.

iregk

I'm assuming this has been said in 19 pages that I'm not going to pour through. It's a pretty sad reflection on our society and country as a whole if we can't cope without alcohol. Can't have a drink, commit suicide. Personally I don't drink but I don't think anything bad of friends or family that do so I'm not anti alcohol. I simply don't buy the arguments made by the publicans.

Claiming that suicide is on the increase because elderly men in rural areas can't get to the pub to socialise. Well are they going there for the company and to socialise or to drink? If it's purely to be social then why can't they drink coke, lucozade, tea such as many like myself do? If it's for alcohol then aren't they simply doing it at home? So what do they place more importance on, alcohol or being social?

CruelCoin

To those who would uphold the ban on drink driving on the basis that it weakens your senses/perceptions:

Would you be ok with a ban on people driving who are bursting for a piss, have a cold/flu, are 80+ years old,

Peanut2011

CruelCoin wrote: »

Would you be ok with a ban on people driving who are bursting for a piss, have a cold/flu, are 80+ years old,

That is the same as asking "for those who would destroy the burgers cos they have a horse meat in them, would you also throw them if it was rats meat in them or ****e"

If drink driving was the same as driving when you are bursting or have a cold / flu maybe we should just ban driving all together!

Some of the arguments posted here really stretch the imagination!

kowloon

Any links to any of the interviews?

Chairman Meow

What an effing surprise to find out that Healy-Rae is a pub owner. Un-****ing believable. "I want to put lives at risk to make a few quid". F*cking selfish c*nt.

GLaDOS

CruelCoin wrote: »

Would you be ok with a ban on people driving who are bursting for a piss, have a cold/flu, are 80+ years old,

Whatever about the other scenarios, someone with a full on flu should definitely not be driving imo

iregk

Also CruelCoin I'm all in favour of once you pass the age of 70 you should have to take an eye test every 2 years to keep your license and resit your test every 5 years. It is completely accepted that old age drivers are less responsive to road incidents and also the eye sight isn't as good. Then again, we are off topic somewhat.

Also a cold and flu are not the same thing! Are you in favour of banning people who drive drunk or those that wear pink shoes?

ScienceNerd

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Whatever about the other scenarios, someone with a full on flu should definitely not be driving imo

There is nothing stopping them though, same as tiredness which has been shown to be worse than being around the old drink driving limit.

Who wakes up after a bad nights sleep and says, "no work for me today, I'm not safe to drive in".*

*I'm not advocating drink driving at all just making the point that there are a lot of things that impair driving, which are probably occur much more often that drink driving.

L.Jenkins

This seriously has to be a joke to be honest. Providing certs to drivers so they may increase their drink drive limit for the sake of rural pubs. I'm sure if having a few drinks in a local was that important to people, they'd arranage a mini-bus or some other way of getting home.

Old_-_School

kowloon wrote: »

Any links to any of the interviews?

A couple up here including one with the Godfather himself.
http://www.youtube.com/user/irishexaminer

TeddyTedson

I've got the answer I think. We should be allowed take a driving text while intoxicated. There could be different levels of an intoxicated license you could apply for. For example there could be the 5 pints in two hours license.
You'd obviously have to drink supplied pints in the test center over the course of the two hours. Then you'd take to the road as you would a sober test sitting.
If you pass the test, you are from then on allowed to drive for the rest of your life with 5 pints consumed within two hours. If you fail you could of course try again another Saturday.

wicorthered

If I was in the traffic corps in Kerry I know where my check points would be for the next few weekends!!!

L.Jenkins

wicorthered wrote: »

If I was in the traffic corps in Kerry I know where my check points would be for the next few weekends!!!

You can be sure the company responsible for speed cameras are foaming at the mouth upon reading this and have beaten you to it.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

A thought to me occured: can people drink drive in Dublin, too?

I mean, the idea of not being able to get home via public trasnport at midnight on a Wednesday night is not something limited to the country, to be honest...

L.Jenkins

While the Kerry CC might vote to present such a motion, I don't see it catching on to be honest. I'm suprised I haven't seen or heard from the RSA yet, but I'm not dismissing the idea that have made a statement already.

Czarcasm

TeddyTedson wrote: »

I've got the answer I think. We should be allowed take a driving text while intoxicated. There could be different levels of an intoxicated license you could apply for. For example there could be the 5 pints in two hours license.
You'd obviously have to drink supplied pints in the test center over the course of the two hours. Then you'd take to the road as you would a sober test sitting.
If you pass the test, you are from then on allowed to drive for the rest of your life with 5 pints consumed within two hours. If you fail you could of course try again another Saturday.

^^ Not sure if serious?

Anyway, I can understand suicide related isolation, but clearly healy-rae can't.

Here's a clue- alcohol consumption will only exacerbate the problem!

If healy-rae (and the idiot councillors who both supported him, and those who abstained from voting no because they didn't have the balls to stand up to the idiot) actually cared about coming up with a viable solution to suicide caused by isolation, the last thing he should be doing is facilitating and encouraging them to get down the pub and consume alcohol.

The whole thing just smacks of an opportunist publican who upon seeing his business dwindling tries to come up with something that won't sound like he cares more about his business than his constituents. Drink driving is illegal, and for good reason. One can introduce all the anecdotal evidence they want of Paddy that can "drive home after ten pints", but the figures bear out the facts.

And for those that claim the elderly are more socially isolated in remote country areas- you can be a young person living in the heart of Dublin city and still feel socially isolated. Allowing you to drive home drunk is only accommodating the symptoms and failing to address the real issues involved in why a person might feel that way.

JustinDee

Next action taken should be an absolute clampdown on drink driving in said region. Checkpoints, breath tests at gates of GAA and golf clubs and a strict enforcement of closing time. Take them to the bloody cleaners. Any community service dished out with fines should entail maintenance of graves of people who have been killed on those roads.

Just forget about a drink for a change. Everything revolves around pints in this country. No wonder there are Irish jokes galore and people outside think we're stupid. Buttnuggets like this alleged representitive and his idiot supporters will see that this reputation sticks. It is serving no-one but the publican, which he himself happens to be.

CruelCoin

iregk wrote: »

Also a cold and flu are not the same thing! Are you in favour of banning people who drive drunk or those that wear pink shoes?

Are those pink shoes stillettos which can slip easily off the pedals?

Then yes, i would ban pink shoes.

TeddyTedson

The idea of treating depression from isolation with a drug which itself has depressive effects is particularly ingenious.

Another idea would be to just ban alcohol in this country and be done with it. Although I can't see that motion being passed by many TDs anytime soon.

Why can't people be more imaginative and find other activities that drink driving.

summerskin

Either way, I'll be fûcked if I'm going to walk home in the rain or freezing cold when I've only had about 5-7 pints. It's fine in summer but bollocks to it in winter!