An article in this week's paper states that a local council in Ireland has approved that the drink driving limit be raised for older drinkers in rural areas on the grounds that they wouldn't be able to go for a drink otherwise presumably because of their reduced mobility.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/irish-council-votes-to-relax-drinkdriving-laws-8462252.html
A councillor said that the country roads are deserted anyway so they wouldn't be much of a danger. The fact that a number of councillors who voted in favour are pub owners is surely not relevant.
What is relevant is that the limit in Ireland has been reduced from 80mg to 50, thus meaning a law-abiding drinker's ration for an evening is reduced from two pints to one. I can see some people whose local isn't in walking distance not bothering, which will have an impact on rural pubs. I don't think this proposal is sensible, but then neither was reducing the limit.
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