What happens now with the new legislation?
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- The Road Traffic Bill must be passed in the Dail to lower the limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg for experienced drivers, and 20mg -- effectively a zero limit -- for professional and novice drivers.
- Once passed, the Medical Bureau of Road Safety will begin recalibrating more than 700 machines used to check alcohol levels in drivers.
- There are currently 64 Evidential Breath-Testing (EBT) machines, called Lion Intoxilysers, used in garda stations across the country. These can be recalibrated, which could take up to nine months.
- There are another 660 hand-held breathalysers in use by gardai at traffic checkpoints and on the road network. These will have to be replaced to read the 20mg limit, at an estimated total cost of more than €705,000.
- Assuming the bill is passed before Christmas, it could still be late next year before the new limits are introduced.
- Northern Ireland environment minister Edwin Poots will be briefed by officials this month on lowering the limits. He said it could take up to a year to recalibrate the breath-testing machines -- some time after a lower limit is introduced in the South.
Irish Independent
