Three banned drivers arrested every day

Gardaí are arresting “alarming” numbers of banned motorists driving cars, with three a day being caught red-handed.

In the six weeks since new powers of arrest came in on June 22, gardaí have arrested and charged 117 disqualified drivers. That compares to 235 in the six months before the introduction of the power, when gardaí could not arrest disqualified drivers on the spot.

Some 87 of the 117 motorists were charged solely for driving while disqualified, while a further 30 were charged with multiple offences.