Mattie McGrath became an international laughing stock when he suggested that a pint could improve the performance of some nervous drivers.

However, a test on one of his Fianna Fail colleagues concluded that his responses on a driving simulator improved after consuming two pints of beer. Bobby Aylward, a TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, said his better reaction times with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 52mg, which is to be outlawed by Noel Dempsey, the transport minister, showed that “a social drink has no adverse reaction on rural people driving home”.

Aylward is among the Fianna Fail backbenchers lobbying for a removal of the “two strikes and you’re out” rule in the new Road Traffic Bill for those caught with a BAC between 50mg and 80mg.

Dempsey bowed to pressure to bring the penalty for first offenders down to three points, but his backbenchers say they did not know the punishment for a second offence in the 50mg-80mg range was a one-year ban from driving. “If a person is caught in that range again their penalty points should amalgamate as they do for speeding,” said Aylward. “I don’t think a ban for a second offence is fair.”

“It has to be an amalgamation [of points],” said McGrath. “The fat lady hasn’t sung yet. The bill was rushed through.”

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