‘Considerable increase’ in people arrested for drug driving offences

MOTORISTS caught driving while on drugs behind the wheel increased last year in the Tallaght/Rathfarnham policing district.

According to garda statistics, 18 drivers were arrested from December 1, 2021 to January 14, 2022.

This represents an 80 per cent increase from the same time period the previous year.

Chief Superintendent Peter Duff said there was a

“considerable increase” in the number of people arrested for driving under the influence of drugs rather than alcohol.

“Alcohol has a marginal decrease in the same period,” he said.

According to the stats, 13 people were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol in the district for the time period.

Meanwhile, car thefts have seen an increase in Tallaght, Lucan and Ronanstown policing areas.

“The big increase we have is in the theft of vehicles, the unauthorised taking of vehicles, which is up considerably. It is up from 17 to 31 in the area,” said Supt Duff.

This represents an 82 per cent increase according to the garda statistics presented at the recent JPC.

In Ronanstown, gardai reported a 144 per cent increase in unauthorised taking of vehicles in 2021 – with 22 cases.

Over in Lucan, gardai reported an 83 per cent increase in unauthorised taking of vehicles, with 11 such cases in 2021.