There was a 3.4% decrease in the number of drink and drug driving checkpoints conducted by Gardaí in Waterford and Kilkenny over the past two years, according to figures released by Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú.
Figures released to MEP Ní Mhurchú from An Garda Síochána show that the number of Mandatory Intoxication Testing (MIT) checkpoints conducted in the Waterford-Kilkenny Garda district fell from 1,173 to 1,132 between summer 2024 and 2025.
Nationally, there were 12,930 MIT checkpoints conducted throughout the country during summer 2024, but this fell by 7.5% to 11,958 across the same period of time in 2025.
The figures also showed that there was a 6.5% decrease in these checkpoints carried out across the Wexford-Wicklow Garda district.
It also showed that there were 15,392 MIT checkpoints carried out during the summer in 2019, which is 3,434 more than the number carried out in 2025.
MEP Ní Mhurchú said that the figures have come against “a backdrop of worrying spike in road deaths across Ireland” as there were 140 people killed on Irish roads in 2019, which is 45 less people than in 2025.
The Fianna Fáil MEP said that the difference in the number of checkpoints carried out between 2019 and 2025 is “frightening.”
She added: “Gardaí carried out thousands more roadside alcohol and drug checkpoints in 2019 than they did in 2025. The figures speak for themselves. In 2019, we had 140 deaths, but in 2025, we had 185 deaths. Drug driving is out of control but now Gardai are testing less people, meaning that the drug driving figures I recently received from the Courts Service are only the tip of the iceberg”.
In January, figures released to MEP Ni Mhurchú from the Courts Service highlighted that there was a 22% increase of drug driving cases before the courts in Waterford in 2025, and a total of 2,050 people were prosecuted for these offences across Ireland from January to October last year.
MEP Ní Mhurchú added: “Those figures show a 37% increase in cases coming before our district courts for drug driving in the first 10 months of 2025. This should be evidence enough for Gardai to launch a massive increase in drug and drink driving checkpoints – but they have done the opposite and reduced them. I want to know the rationale for it. If it is a resource issue, let’s deal with it but it must be pointed out that there were more Gardai in 2025 than there were in 2019”.
The Ireland South MEP is seeking further clarification from Garda management about why there was an overall reduction in roadside testing.
Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme
Robyn Power
