Increased Garda checkpoints for drink and drug driving

Gardaí in the Roscommon/Mayo/Longford division are bucking the national trend as the division saw an increase in the number of drink and drug driving checkpoints being carried out.

New data shows that there were 1,155 checkpoints from July to September 2024, which increased to 1,247 checkpoints in the same period in 2025. Overall the division shows the fourth highest increase out of all garda divisions.

Meath/Westmeath has the highest with a rise of 39% while Kildare/Carlow had the worst figure of -43.8%.

Nationally the figures, which were taken from the Garda PULSE system last November, show significant decreases in the number of mandatory intoxication testing checkpoints conducted by An Garda Síochána across many garda districts between the 12 month period.

A total of 12,930 checkpoints were carried out nationally throughout Q3 2024 but this fell to 11,958 checkpoints.

EU Transport Committee MEP, Cynthia Ní Mhurchú who highlighted the information said that “more concerning is the fact that a simple trawl back through garda figures from Q3 2019, show that 15,392 mandatory intoxication testing checkpoints were carried out nationally during Q3 2019 - 3,434 more checkpoints than in Q3 2025.” 

She added: “Gardaí carried out thousands more roadside alcohol and drug checkpoints in 2019 than they did in 2025. The figures speak for themselves. In 2019, we had 140 deaths, but in 2025, we had 185 deaths. Drug driving is out of control but now gardaí are testing less people meaning the drug driving figures I recently received from the courts service are only the tip of the iceberg.”

She went on to say: “These figures show a 37% increase in cases coming before our district courts for drug driving in the first 10 months of 2025. This should be evidence enough for gardaí to launch a massive increase in drug and drink driving checkpoints – but they have done the opposite and reduced them. I want to know the rationale for it. If it is a resource issue, lets deal with it but it must be pointed out that there were more gardaí in 2025 than there were in 2019.” The MEP has called on Garda management to clarify why there was an overall reduction in roadside testing, according to the gardaí’s own figures, when 185 people lost their lives on our roads in 2025.

She raised the issue in the context of a bank holiday weekend, which are frequently flashpoints for serious road collisions and fatalities. The Road Traffic Measures Bill 2023 was expected to empower the Minister for Transport to introduce double penalty points for driving offences during bank holiday weekends. Ms Ní Mhurchú has written to the Minister seeking clarification on whether this provision will be enacted and, if not, the reasons for that decision.