Northern Ireland currently has one of the highest drink drive limit in Europe, which is 80mg/100ml. The only EU country to have a higher limit is Cyprus, with 90mg/100ml. Recently, Alex Attwood, Northern Ireland Environment Minister, announced a new package of measures which will lower the drink drive limit in Northern Ireland to 50mg/100ml for most drivers and 20mg/100ml for young or inexperienced drivers. Apart from lowering the drink drive limit, Ireland's Environment Minister also plans to introduce fixed penalties for first time offenders, which get caught with lower limits, and court prosecution for high level first offenders.
Offenders caught over the limit will be referred to a drink drive rehabilitation scheme, and,
in some circumstances, they will not be able to ask for a blood test, instead of the traditional breathalyzer one.
The new law, which will lower the drink drive limit in Ireland, will be ready for public consultation by March 2012.
