New law to fight drink driving ‘likely’

Transport Minister Shane Ross has said the spike in deaths on Irish roads last year was “calamitous”, and has said dramatic and tough new laws to stamp out drink driving are likely.

In a wide-ranging interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr Ross also said Ireland has become a “cowboy country” because of the increasing number of drivers who are using the roads without having their cars insured.

A total of 187 people lost their lives on Irish roads last year in 175 accidents, 25 more people than who died in crashes in 2015.