Drink-driving conviction rate - Close these loopholes

EVADING a conviction for drink driving has long been a national sport of sorts, albeit one confined to an ever- narrower age group and one that does not shout its successes — or failures, if you prefer — from the rooftops.

A recent episode involving a non-national, where a case was dismissed because the relevant paperwork was not provided in Irish, as well as in English, hints at some of the absurdities around this area of legislation and justice- administration. It also shows in a pretty shabby light our commitment to making our roads safe from drink drivers.

Figures published yesterday, which showed a very low conviction rate, even if people are charged and brought before a court, strengthen that impression. Just 40% of drink-driving cases listed before the country’s district courts since January 2013, led to convictions, but the figures for this year are even more surprising. For the first five months of the year, only 28% — fewer than one-in-three — cases led to a conviction. This failure rate compares very unfavourably with England and Wales, where 97% of drink-driving cases brought before magistrates’ courts result in conviction.

Of course, a person is innocent until proven guilty, but there seem so many opportunities to avoid a conviction that the law has been brought into disrepute. What should be a cut-and-dried legal process has become a game of bluff and double bluff. It is time to simplify the process.