Excuse rural dwellers from drink driving - FF Cllr

[RBinge]

A Co Clare councillor has said rural dwellers should be excused from drink-driving.

Fianna Fáil Councillor Flan Garvey said people who visit pubs as their only social outlet are familiar with local roads and drive more carefully and slowly, especially when they have had a few drinks.


The elected local authority member has appealed for a "special understanding" to be shown.

He insists he does not condone drink-driving, but wants allowances made for certain people, such as those who live alone, and who would travel just a few miles to the pub once or twice a week.

[Twin Towers]

A Co Clare councillor has said rural dwellers should be excused from drink-driving.

Fianna Fáil Councillor Flan Garvey said people who visit pubs as their only social outlet are familiar with local roads and drive more carefully and slowly, especially when they have had a few drinks.


The elected local authority member has appealed for a "special understanding" to be shown.

He insists he does not condone drink-driving, but wants allowances made for certain people, such as those who live alone, and who would travel just a few miles to the pub once or twice a week.

Drinking and driving is a NoNo rural area whatever. I appreciate the difficulties of those living alone in isolated places, but really how difficult can it be to organise a lift if one really wants to get out.

[mdm]

I appreciate the difficulties of those living alone in isolated places, but really how difficult can it be to organise a lift if one really wants to get out.

..are you for real..?

[TheBear]

Is this a different story from the one being discussed on this thread?

[Twin Towers]

I appreciate the difficulties of those living alone in isolated places, but really how difficult can it be to organise a lift if one really wants to get out.

..are you for real..?

Real as real can be mate.

But the gentle bear is ushering you over to a different thread and you can take your drink with you.

[TheBear]

I was actually just wondering, but feel free to discuss the topic yonder. It just struck me as strange that two Munster Cllrs from different parties said similar things about drink-driving at the same time.

[returning officer]

It just struck me as strange that two Munster Cllrs from different parties said similar things about drink-driving at the same time.

It is very strange that this thread should start on a day when a Fine Gael cllr goes way over the top on drink driving.

The story on this thread goes back to January!
Divert, deflect, defuse.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/2006/01/05/story238107.html

[eurocrat]

More interesting that this issue is considered a Fianna Fail issue and the other one a Munster issue, rather than a Fine Gael issue.

Either way they are both stupid comments. Public representitve should be santioned by their parties for condoning (and prehaps encouraging) drink driving.

[Rufty]

May I start by saying that I'm completely anit-drink driving and although I may not agree with Flan's comments I do have an idea why they came about.

Flan is from north Clare and if you have any understanding of the area you would know that for many isolated farmers in this part of the country it's a veritable impossibility to organise a lift as it was put. You can't look upon this in term of the standard code of practice with towns, villages or even cities. If these aging farmers, who have lived all their lives in this manner of going to the pub for a couple of pints and working all day, now find themselves without half their daily routine, what else are they to do?

What I imagine Flan Garvey was getting at was, if no alternative to the pub for a few scoops is found then these people become alone and vunerable. What alternative do they have?

This I think is the more pressing issue.

[jerryp]

Am I the only one who thinks there is a very high percentage of councillors who are absolutely bonkers ?