Vol. 447 No. 11
217 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Justice if she will report on the pre-Christmas drink driving statistics in relation to the number of road blocks; the number breathalysed; the number who failed the breathalyser test; the time of day of the roadblocks; and the cost of Garda overtime. [1357/95]
I am informed by the Garda authorities that 33,189 checkpoints were operated and 3,255 persons were breathalysed from 24 November 1994 to 23 December 1994.
The exact number of persons who failed the breathalyser test is not available, but I am informed that 362 persons were arrested for drink-driving related offences in December.
I am further informed that Garda checkpoints were carried out on a random basis over the 24 hour period each day. However, the majority of these checkpoints were carried out during the hours of darkness i.e. between 5 p.m. and 6 a.m. the following day.
The cost of Garda overtime in relation to the enforcement of the Road Traffic Acts during the period referred to in paragraph one above was less than £3,500. The majority of these duties were carried out by the Garda Síochána during their normal rostered hours.
