THE anger of Fianna Fail backbenchers about the reduction in the drink- driving limit is really about general dissatisfaction with the Government and their fate at the next election, Transport Minister Noel Dempsey has conceded.

"I would say that there are a lot of issues that can't be avoided in relation to the Budget and I would say a number of people felt this was an issue that could be avoided, so why do it now," he says. "I would say that was the issue that loomed largest in people's minds."

As an astute politician why did he go ahead with it so?

Sipping a cup of tea in the Merrion Hotel in Dublin last week, the minister remained unrepentant.

"It's not my style, I am in politics to make a difference -- for the better hopefully -- and when you get a chance to be a minister that is the place you can make a real difference on a weekly basis, and in conscience I believe that lives can be saved. I can't sit on my hands, it's as simple as that.

"I actually believe that while a lot of backbenchers were concerned about the way people will vote, more people will thank them than vote against them.

"It is understandable that they would wish it would go away, but I actually think it is more of a plus because there are so many people who have suffered loss and desolation through road accidents," he says.

Noel Dempsey is absolute in his conviction that there is no safe drink-driving limit.

He has had "representations" over the years from publicans in his own constituency and as a lobby group on the issue.

"I don't want to sound pious but my job is not to look after one vested interest or sector, but to do something for the greater good," he says. "Talk about rural isolation -- it is a genuine problem, but the solution is not to allow people to take a few drinks and put themselves and others in danger.

"This can cause desolation to families of both victims and perpetrators.

"We grew up in a culture where it was perfectly normal to go in and have three or four pints and get into your car and drive home, and unless you crashed or struck somebody, there was no problem. Even if you were stopped by a guard you were just as likely to be told to 'be careful' and sent on your way.

"It is difficult to change the habits of a lifetime. Some people have done it [drink-driving] all their lives and have never been in an accident, but that does not mean it is right."

The minister agrees with Fine Gael's John Deasy -- who is opposed to the reduction in the blood-alcohol limit from 80mgs to 50mgs -- that random breath testing by the gardai has been the most significant step in reducing drink- driving and deaths on the roads.

"Gardai really stepped up random breath-testing and it is having the effect. A lot of people now know if they go out driving they are going to meet a guard. Again, go back seven or eight years and they didn't pay much heed because you might never meet a guard."

But he does not agree that you can leave it at that.

"Last year ourselves and Northern Ireland had very substantial decreases in deaths on the road and that trend continued right into this year for us, but inexplicably the increase in the year in Northern Ireland is 20 per cent in road accidents and deaths and they had a very good record. That emphasises to me that as soon as you sit back and think you have this thing licked it comes back at you," he says.

The other concern he has is that drink-driving legislation is "the most litigated that you have" -- in other words, once it goes through the Dail, solicitors all over the country will seek to punch loopholes in it.

It now appears that because the gardai will have to be re-armed with a whole new set of equipment to enforce a new limit it could be at least 12 months before the new legislation goes through the Dail and is enforced by gardai.

In the meantime, as Minister for Transport and the Marine, Noel Dempsey has plenty of other pressing issues to deal with, including, he says, the very survival of the state transport company CIE.

The deteriorating financial state of CIE is a cause for major concern, he says

"There is a huge challenge as to how CIE is going to survive ... it is pretty stark because we are in a totally new era now.

"In the past if CIE was in financial difficulty they could always look to the taxpayer to give them extra money, but because of a new Euro directive coming down the line we can no longer just pump money into it.

"Directors will start getting nervous if the company is trading at a loss and they have to consider their fiduciary duty. It is not at that stage but that is coming up.

"The CIE group of companies have serious problems, we are heading for substantial losses this year," he confirms.

Cost-cutting measures have been implemented by Dublin Bus, which he says has "taken the challenge up and is moving to get costs in line".

But the same cannot be said for the train service or the rural bus company.

"We are in a very unfortunate situation that apart from the changes that need to be made to make it more efficient, we are also seeing a fairly substantial loss of passengers right across the three companies, and that means it is going to require even greater surgery than that implemented earlier this year," he says.

One of the reasons for a fairly dramatic decline in passenger numbers is that with the economic crisis fewer people are travelling or shopping, and foreign workers, who were used to using public transport, have left in their thousands.

Politics is about changing things, and Noel Dempsey is seriously concerned about the length of time it takes to implement any kind of change in the public service and in politics in general.

"What is wrong with the system at the moment (and it would be no different if Fianna Fail was in opposition) is that you have very little real debate on real issues. A lot of what has gone on in the last 10 years has been personality driven, tribunal driven, and party political.

"I put that down to the electoral system we have -- it is based on combat and that is reflected in the chamber," he says.

But he believes that some of what the Opposition said in the past year went too far and has damaged Ireland's reputation internationally.

"The kind of nonsense that went on when the country was on its knees -- with opposition politicians painting a picture of the Minister for Finance or the Government trying to look after their friends, the builders -- that did no good for the country.

"There were statements made by both opposition parties that, because of the dire financial situation, did us more damage than needed to be done," he says.

Dempsey maintains that things have improved over the last month but he and the Government are determined to take the decisions that need to be made.

"It is a job I have to do and want to do and I enjoy doing," he says. Then he smiles that boyish smile of his, concluding: "The bigger the challenges the more I like it." By the look of it he won't lack for challenges in the year to come.

- Liam Collins

Sunday Independent