'Worrying' number of drivers testing positive for drugs, says Tipperary garda

More than a quarter of driving-while-intoxicated incidents to date this year in Tipperary involved drug-driving detections.

A simulation of a roadside preliminary drug test. File Picture: Robbie Reynolds

The number of motorists being detected for drug-driving is a worrying trend, according to the top garda in Tipperary.

Chief Superintendent Colm O’Sullivan was speaking after the Tipperary Joint Policing Committee on Friday, where figures showing an increase in detections for driving while intoxicated so far this year were revealed.

According to the figures, there were 33 drug-driving detections out of 119 driving-while-intoxicated incidents to date this year (27%). The overall number of drivers detected for either drink- or drug-driving to date this year in the division is up by 14% on the same period last year.

This was despite a 14% fall in the number of mandatory intoxicant testing checkpoints to date this year compared to the number carried out in the division in the same period last year — from 1,542 to 1,326.

Chief Supt O’Sullivan said the number of drivers testing positive for drugs is “worrying”, adding: “It shows the prevalence of drugs in society. Unfortunately, in Ireland today, the well-to-do and the not-so-well-to-do will go out for a Friday night or a Saturday night and take their cocaine and have great fun and go to work on Monday morning. 

"That has an impact on their own families and on the people that are forced into dealing drugs to fuel an addiction. 

But they see nothing wrong with it.” 

Figures relating to drug seizures in the area show that while there has been a 30% decrease in detections for drug dealing, the number of detections for drug possession for personal use has increased by 10% from 139 to 153.

Domestic abuse

Separately, Chief Supt O’Sullivan revealed that there has been an increase of 14.6% in the number of domestic abuse incidents.

The incidents included domestic violence, as well as breaches of barring, protection or safety orders.

He urged people to come forward if they are victims of domestic violence.

He said: “The more people that come forward, the greater chance we have of it becoming more socially unacceptable.”

On Tuesday, Women’s Aid published its annual report, which highlighted that the organisation received a record number of contacts from people suffering domestic abuse.

More than 31,220 contacts were made with the agency’s national and regional support services last year — an increase of 16%. The nature of the incidents included abuse included coercive control, emotional abuse, physical violence, sexual abuse, and economic control.