Gardai have said the number of drink drivers caught is much higher than this time last year.
The number of drivers caught drink driving in recent weeks has surged by more than one third compared to levels record during the same period last year.
The significant increase has occurred despite the Garda and Road Safety Authority advertising campaign discouraging drink driving having been ramped up as the Christmas period approached.
News that drink driving is on the increase comes as the number of fatalities on Irish roads has risen this year; with 182 killed since the start of the year compared with 147 for the same period last year.
Ten of the deaths this year have been cyclists and the increase in drink driving will come as a real concern to cyclists and other vulnerable road users.
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A drink driver was arrested in Wicklow last week after mounting the kerb and hitting a bollard on this walking and cycling lane.
Publishing an update on its Christmas driving drink enforcement campaign, the Garda said in the two weeks of the operation 341 drink driving arrests had been made.
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That represents an increase of 89 arrests on the same two week period last year; a surge of 35 per cent.
Assistant Commissioner Michael Finn said the increase had come despite its drink driving campaign having been “heavily publicised across all broadcast mediums" particularly on social media.
"And (the campaign) was fronted by the Treacy family who tragically lost their 4 year old son Ciarán in a road traffic collision involving a drunk driver," Assistant Commissioner Finn added.
“I appeal again to every driver thinking of taking a chance with their life or someone else’s. Don’t do it – never, ever drink and drive.
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“This significant increase in detections show increased Garda activity but disappointingly shows there are some who still refuse to heed all the safety messages.
“We will continue to seek out these high risk drivers over the coming weeks on a 24/7 basis, to make the roads safer for all road users.”
Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Shane Ross TD said drink driving “kills, maims and shatters” people’s lives.
“While many people have changed their behaviour for the better, there is still a cohort of people who think it is acceptable to drink and drive. It is not.
“We simply cannot live in a society where we have to fear for our safety on the roads because of the selfish actions of someone else.”
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