The number of people appearing in court for drug driving offences has increased significantly in recent years. 

The figures, released to Aontú, reveal that 48 people appeared in court in 2019, the figure increased to 587 in 2020, 1,735 in 2021 and 2,248 last year.

In the first six months of 2023, 1,585 people were brought before the courts for drug driving.

The statistics also reveal a slight increase in the number of people prosecuted for dangerous driving; in 2018, 3,022 people were brought before the court and by 2022 that figure was 3,248.

Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín said a lack of Garda patrols could be the reason for the increase.

"Anybody following the news these days cannot but be struck by the apparent high number of fatalities on Irish roads in recent days and weeks,” he said.

“Such loss of life is extremely tragic, and cause for concern; figures released to Aontú last month show that the number of Gardaí assigned to police our roads is now lower than at any stage in the last fourteen years [and] it has dropped 36%.

“There has to be a correlation between the lower number of Gardaí on the roads, the increase in drug driving and dangerous driving offences, and the very tragic headlines on our TV screens each day.”

Punishment

Anyone convicted of drug driving can be fined up to €5000 or sent to prison for up to six months.

They are also automatically disqualified from driving for a minimum of three months.

Main image: A Garda talks to a driver. Picture by: David Creedon / Alamy Live News