Drink-driving clampdown damages Government’s popularity

THE Garda Síochána’s clampdown on drink-driving is damaging the Government’s popularity, Children’s Minister Brian Lenihan admitted yesterday.

Mr Lenihan was defending the Government’s efforts to combat binge-drinking amongst both young people and the population at large, and pointed to initiatives it had taken despite “the political cost” involved. Among them was the introduction last July of mandatory alcohol testing, which has allowed the gardaí to test motorists at random in a bid to eradicate drink driving.

Previous to its introduction, gardaí had to form the opinion a motorist was under the influence of alcohol before they could test that person. The legislative change has allowed gardaí to increase the number of breath tests. Approximately 30,000 random tests are being carried out each month.