Fianna Fáil TD doesn't know drink limit?

dlofnep

Government partners Fianna Fail have condemned drink drivers who break the law after one of its TDs was arrested over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Christy O'Sullivan was detained on suspicion of drink driving on Monday night when he failed a breath test close to his Clonakilty home. Mr O'Sullivan, Cork South West representative, said he only had a "few pints" at the races and did not believe he was over the limit. He will have to wait up to six weeks for the results of blood tests to find out if he will be charged or cleared.
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Only had a FEW PINTS and didn't believe he was over the limit? And here here, Dick Roche backing him saying that it shouldn't have any political implications. What about the road safety campaigns... Does this not apply to Fianna Fáil TD's?

dresden8

Nothing applies to TDs before they get caught. An apology afterwards sorts everything out.

Stop questioning your betters and get back to work you pleb.

dlofnep

I just finished work! Please don't send me back.

Nuttzz

All those drink driving ads focus on the young guys being in accidents, however anyone I know under 40 wouldnt think to drink and drive, my father on the other hand wouldnt give it a second thought, its a generational thing, "I've always done it" "if they havent caught me after 60 years they arent going to catch me now" etc

I would love to see one,just one, road safety ad where the actors were 50+

The_Minister

Don't forge that Ferris was pulled over and tested, and came out positive just before the election, and his came up negative in the final tests.
AFAIK just because he was tested and got an initial positive does not mean that he was over the limit, especially if he spaced out those few pints.

And, tbh, I agree with Roche. A TD being forced from the Dail should only happen for the grossest offences (murder, rape etc.). Things like speeding, and drink-driving should be dealt with in the courts, but there should be no political ramifications, except at the next election, if the people are offended by his actions.

dlofnep

Nuttzz wrote: »

All those drink driving ads focus on the young guys being in accidents, however anyone I know under 40 wouldnt think to drink and drive, my father on the other hand wouldnt give it a second thought, its a generational thing, "I've always done it" "if they havent caught me after 60 years they arent going to catch me now" etc

I would love to see one,just one, road safety ad where the actors were 50+

What does it matter what age they are? Drink driving is drink driving. The families who have lost loved ones won't care one bit how old the person was if they were under the influence. A little bit of perspective wouldn't go astray.

The_Minister wrote: »

Don't forge that Ferris was pulled over and tested, and came out positive just before the election, and his came up negative in the final tests.
AFAIK just because he was tested and got an initial positive does not mean that he was over the limit, especially if he spaced out those few pints.

And, tbh, I agree with Roche. A TD being forced from the Dail should only happen for the grossest offences (murder, rape etc.). Things like speeding, and drink-driving should be dealt with in the courts, but there should be no political ramifications, except at the next election, if the people are offended by his actions.

I think you'll find those who lost family members on the road to drunk drivers wouldn't agree with your categorization of what's a serious offense and what isn't. It's all fine and well for FF to parade on about road safety, but when it comes to the crunch - so long as it doesn't affect them, all's well and good.

There's a big difference between having a drink after work, and having a "few pints"..

Nuttzz

The age matters when the older people have the attitute that its all young peoples fault, my father regulary drinks and drives along with his mates, they are the same guys who complain about the "crazy young fellas" on the road, it would be nice for just one RSA ad to show them that perhaps it isnt just the young lads....

guinnessdrinker

Nuttzz wrote: »

The age matters when the older people have the attitute that its all young peoples fault, my father regulary drinks and drives along with his mates, they are the same guys who complain about the "crazy young fellas" on the road, it would be nice for just one RSA ad to show them that perhaps it isnt just the young lads....

I agree. In my own experience I have seen a lot more older people drink and drive than younger people. Those ads on TV are completely biased against younger people but young people are not the only category of drivers on the roads.

Also, didn't one of Fianna Fail's other TD's, Jim McDaid get banned from driving after going the wrong way down a duel carrige way whilst intoxicated a couple of years ago too.

jmayo

The_Minister wrote: »

...

And, tbh, I agree with Roche. A TD being forced from the Dail should only happen for the grossest offences (murder, rape etc.). Things like speeding, and drink-driving should be dealt with in the courts, but there should be no political ramifications, except at the next election, if the people are offended by his actions.

What about some of the offences like misappropriation of public funds, failure to pay taxes, aiding people in tax evasion, accepting bribes in order to pervert the planning process or a public tendering process, perjury or obstructing a state convened tribunal of inquiry ?
Should any of these warrant the removal or dismissal of a deputy and the revoking of their pensions?
If so then we would see a few empty seats in Dail Eireann, but of course the Irish electorate admire the cute hoor and then complain to everyone and anyone when their ma is left sitting on a trolley for 5 hours :mad:

Then again the once moral guardants of the Irish political system have long since sold out on these issues

guinnessdrinker wrote: »

...
Also, didn't one of Fianna Fail's other TD's, Jim McDaid get banned from driving after going the wrong way down a duel carrige way whilst intoxicated a couple of years ago too.

But isn't he one of the few FF TDs that doesn't have a cushy job like junior minister or member of Dail committee ?
So he really has suffered :rolleyes:

Hotblack Desiato

dlofnep wrote: »

There's a big difference between having a drink after work, and having a "few pints"..

Not if the limit is lowered to 50mg...

Hotblack Desiato

guinnessdrinker wrote: »

Those ads on TV are completely biased against younger people but young people are not the only category of drivers on the roads.

He who pays the piper calls the tune, in the case of these ads it was the insurance industry who love to demonise young male drivers so they can charge them more.

I'm driving cars and bikes 14 years now, claim free and still waiting for the 'cheaper insurance when you get older' thing to kick in to the extent I was led to believe at this rate I'll be 40 before I can get a half decent (bike) quote.

Also, didn't one of Fianna Fail's other TD's, Jim McDaid get banned from driving after going the wrong way down a duel carrige way whilst intoxicated a couple of years ago too.

The very man.

The_Minister

jmayo wrote: »

What about some of the offences like misappropriation of public funds, failure to pay taxes, aiding people in tax evasion, accepting bribes in order to pervert the planning process or a public tendering process, perjury or obstructing a state convened tribunal of inquiry ?
Should any of these warrant the removal or dismissal of a deputy and the revoking of their pensions?

Bribery is totally different, as that compromises someones work as a member of the Oireachtas. A public citizen is still partially a private citizen, and not every crime committed by a public official is a public matter.
If someone is proved to have been bribed, then absolutely they should be kicked out (although if there is sufficient doubt, then they should probably resiegn).
If someone speeds/drink-drives/ picks up a rent-boy in a park somewhere in Wexford, then they should be dealt with by the same law that affects the private citizen, not kicked out of the Oireachtas (if they were in some way responsible for road safety (junior minister etc.), then I would kick them out sharpish.

jmayo wrote: »

Then again the once moral guardants of the Irish political system have long since sold out on these issues

You mean unlike Fine Gael and Labour, whose MEPs voted to suppress a report exposing £100m worth of corruption.:rolleyes:

I'm sorry, but I just don't see this as being worthy of being thrown out of the Oireachtas, a punishment that I feel should be reserved for the last resort (since it basically involves over-turning the people's choice).

vinylrules

Seems to me there is more hysterical nonsense spoken in the media and elswhere about drink driving than almost any other subject. Let's look at the facts:

(1) The law as it currently stands permits people to drink and drive - as long as they're under the legal limit. There are drink-drive limits just as there are speed limits (and age limits for that matter). Whatever you or I think about people driving while remaining under the limit doesn't matter. They are law-abiding citizens - nothing more, nothing less.

(2) "Failing" a road-side breath-test means very little in law...it's not admissable in court. Why? Because the hand-held devices are notoriously inaccurate, giving misleading readings and measuring mouth alcohol rather than breath alcohol. The only results that can be used as evidence are the more complex evidential machines such as the Intoxiliser 5000 back at the station (or a blood or urine test, of course)

(3) The Fianna Fail TD in question said he had "a few pints". If he means two, three or even four pints taken over a long period (i.e three hours) on a full stomach, there is every chance he will be under the limit when the blood test comes through. If this is what transpires - he has complied with the drink-drive legislation and has broken no laws. In fact, rather than him being the one who has to apologise the Gardai should be embarrassed for making a false arrest and wasting everyone's time. Likewise, the finger-wagging, tut-tutting media who have jumped up and down on this man should apologise to him and has family for causing upset. (On the other hand, if he is found to be over the legal limit he will pay the relevant penalties plus have to put up with even more outrage from the baying mob)

The law of the land is what matters here - not what people think of as "socially unacceptable" or "innapropriate". If this man had been caught on his mobile phone, would there have been such a fuss? Of course not - even though research has proven that this can be just as bad as being over the alcohol limit. By all means take drunks off the road but methinks all this hysteria is more about the drink than about the driving.