Peadar Tóibín
Question:
583. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of roadside drug tests that were carried out by An Garda Síochána in each of the past five years; the number of these tests that were positive in that period; the number of drivers who received a driving ban as a result of these tests; the number of driver drug tests that were carried out in total for each of the past five years; the number of these tests that were positive in each of the past five years; and the number of drivers who received a driving ban as a result of these tests in each of the past five years. [27584/22]
View answer
I have sought the information requested by the Deputy from the Garda authorities, unfortunately this was not available in time. I will write to the Deputy again once the information is to hand.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51:
I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 583 of 31 May 2022 where you asked:
‘the number of road side drug tests that were carried out by An Garda Síochána in each of the past five years; the number of these tests that were positive in that period; the number of drivers who received a driving ban as a result of these tests; the number of driver drug tests that were were carried out in total for each of the past five years; the number of these tests that were positive in each of the past five years; and the number of drivers who received a driving ban as a result of these tests in each of the past five years.’
As you will recall, Minister McEntee sought the information from the Garda authorities and undertook to contact you again once the information was to hand. As I have since taken office I am responding to your question.
As you will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), which includes the enforcement of road traffic legislation and the recording of information on the Garda IT systems. As Minister, I play no role in these independent functions.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that, following the issues identified in 2016 in relation to the recording of breath tests performed by Garda members, improved governance and recording structures were put in place by An Garda Síochána.
The improved recording structures were implemented on the PULSE System on 13 August 2017 and this date is taken as the start point for the examination of data for intoxicant testing carried out at Mandatory Intoxication Testing (MIT) Checkpoints.
The table below provides the breakdown of tests carried out from the date above up to and including 30 November 2022. The information is as recorded on PULSE on 5 December 2022 and is operational and subject to change.
|
|
2017*
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
|
Positive Roadside Oral Fluid Tests
|
60
|
269
|
562
|
562
|
476
|
391
|
|
Negative Roadside Oral Fluid Tests
|
405
|
1767
|
2960
|
3724
|
3260
|
2276
|
|
Total Roadside Oral Fluid Tests
|
465
|
2036
|
3522
|
4286
|
3736
|
2667
|
In relation to the number of drivers banned as a result of these tests, as you may be aware any driving ban can only be handed down by a judge in the relevant Court. You will appreciate that management of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and given the separation of powers in the Constitution.
However, to be of assistance, enquiries were made to the Courts Service for the relevant statistics. I am advised that, regrettably, the Courts Service would not be in a position to state if those offences that resulted in a driving ban were a result of ‘Roadside Drug Testing’, as this is not recorded on the Courts Service systems.
