MORE PEOPLE HAVE been caught by gardaí in the first 10 days of this year’s Christmas drink-driving campaign than last year.

Gardaí have said there have been 260 arrests on suspicion of driving under the influence since the beginning of the Christmas and New Year Road Safety Campaign. This is compared to 243 for the same period last year.

While most of these arrests are related to alcohol, gardaí say there have also been positive tests for drug-driving.

Gardai say that several of those arrested had an alcohol reading greater than four times over the the legal limit. The legal limit for fully-qualified drivers is  22 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath (22/100).

Some of those arrested on suspicion of being over the limit include:

• Driver arrested near Navan at 4pm on 9 December, resultant alcohol reading 125/100.
• Driver in south county Dublin arrested at 8pm on 10 December, resultant alcohol reading 113/100.
• Driver arrested near Ballincollig at 8pm on 7 December, resultant alcohol reading 112/100.
• Driver arrested near Middleton at 11.30am on 6 December, resultant alcohol reading 43/100.
• Driver arrested near Dungarvan at 10pm on Friday 8th, tested positive for cannabis.

Gardaí have said that the enforcement campaign will continue “all day every day” during the Christmas period.

Read: FactCheck: Did a drink-driving campaign in 1972 really say the FIFTH pint was the one too many? >

Read: ‘I wouldn’t be more forgiving of someone who was drunk the morning after if he killed my child’ >