One drink driver caught every 30 minutes

GARDAÍ are catching drunk drivers at a rate of one every half hour in the run-up to Christmas.

Last week, 376 people failed the standard drink-driving test. The figure was marginally down on the first week of the month when the gardaí kicked off a seasonal road safety campaign.

The garda press office said this would remain a provisional figure until blood tests have been returned and cases are contested in court.