Lack of detection equipment hampering drug-driving battle

Chief Superintendent Gerard Roche said there has been a 128% rise in the number of motorists found driving with drugs in their system this year.

While there is a threshold for alcohol, any motorist found with the slightest trace of an illegal drug such as cocaine is automatically breaking the law. File image

Gardaí are unable to crack down on motorists driving while under the influence of cocaine and other drugs due to a lack of breathalyzer equipment, it has emerged.

While roadside alcohol breathalyzers are carried by all garda units, only five traffic cars in the Limerick division carry a drug detection machine, Limerick city and county joint policing committee was told.

Chief Superintendent Gerard Roche said there has been a 128% increase in the number of motorists found driving with drugs in their system this year. He said the detection rate would be far greater if they had adequate equipment.

He also said the machines they need are distributed by the Road Safety Authority and they have been continually looking for additional equipment.

"If we had this equipment we would be able to send out a far stronger message to people who are going around driving with cocaine and other drugs in their system."

While there is a threshold for alcohol, any motorist found with the slightest trace of an illegal drug such as cocaine is automatically breaking the law.

Chief Supt Roche said a very dangerous and worrying trend is the sale of drugs in juice and jelly form which are designed to entrap young people, making the drugs seem un-harmful.  

He said gardaí are now finding an increasing number of motorists over the limit when tested for drugs and drink at checkpoints.

In the first nine months of this year, of the 370 people who had failed the breath test, 121 were found to have excess drugs in their system and 249 had excess alcohol. Chief Supt Roche said people who take drugs such as cocaine are at risk of failing the breath test days, weeks, and sometimes up to a month after last taking the drug. 

Meanwhile, Superintendent Brian Sugrue said that since last Sunday, Gardaí patrolling the University of Limerick and it's residential suburbs have shut down 35 house parties and issued 70 tickets to students. 

Superintendent Sugrue said: "We had five public order incidents involving two students being charged and three others cautioned." 

He also said this week officers have issued 30 ASBOs (anti-social behaviour orders). 

"We are concerned about these house orders as the seriousness of the Covid-19 pandemic does not seem to hit home with many of these students."