127. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport if he intends to amend the Road Traffic Act 1961 to introduce graduated penalties for driving under the influence of drugs based on the level of units detected in an individual’s blood as is the case with penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31920/26]

Seán Canney, Minister of State at the Department of Transport:

I wish to advise that the Road Traffic Act 1961, as amended by the Road Traffic Act 2010, already provides for two distinct drug driving offences, depending on whether the driver is demonstrably under the influence of an intoxicant to the point that they are incapable of maintaining control of their vehicle.

A driver convicted under Section 5 of that Act, where they are found to have exceeded the legal threshold for heroin, cocaine or cannabis but where no evidence of impairment has been presented to the Court, will receive a shorter disqualification (one year), compared to the four year minimum disqualification faced by a driver convicted under Section 4, where drug-induced impairment has been established. My Department considers the distinction between these respective penalties to be proportionate to the gravity of the offences, and accordingly, there are no plans at present to further amend the Road Traffic Act 1961 to introduce graduated penalties for driving under the influence of drugs.

Officials from my Department meet regularly with An Garda Síochána and the Medical Bureau of Road Safety to discuss matters related to drug-driving. As with any legislation, I consider feedback on its operation from An Garda Siochana and other stakeholders and I will act if it is clear that improvements can be made.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind all drivers that driving under the influence of drugs is an extremely serious offence that poses a direct threat to the lives of other road users. It is the personal responsibility of every driver to refrain from driving if there is the slightest risk he or she might be impaired owing to intoxicants.