wexford
thechronicle
August 04, 2020 t: 0539102441, www.thechronicle.ie
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We buck trend as drink driving numbers fall There has been a decline in the number of people found driving under the influence of drink or drugs in county Wexford in the first six months of 2020 despite the lockdown. This bucks the trend which shows cases doubled on avergage throughout the country. Figures published by the Irish Times reveal there was a 33% increase in detections in the Wexford Garda Division between January and June this year when compared to the same period in 2019.
Wexford was one of 17 areas out of the 28 Garda divisions nationally to record a decrease in drug and drink detections in the first six months of the year. Eleven divisions showed a surprising increase given the fact that traffic volumes nationally fell by up to 90% during the early weeks of the Covid-19 lockdown. According to the report, a total of 105 drivers were found to be driving under the influence of drink or drugs in the Wexford Garda division this
year up until June 30. That is a decrease from 158 detections for the same period in 2019. Gardai now say drug driving is becoming a serious issue, with incidents of detection increasing in every Garda division in the country. According to the report, drug drivers are more likely to be middle-aged, middle class men, with detections being most prevalent in the middle of the day. Cannabis and cocaine are the drugs most commonly detected. Drink driving
detections have not changed hugely during the lockdown. Gardai say drink drivers are most likely to be caught early in the morning or late in the evening. The data show that arrests for drink- or drug-driving increased by 24% in Dublin, with its six Garda divisions recording higher numbers. Arrests were also higher in Kilkenny-Carlow, Louth Roscommon-Longford, and with smaller increases in the Wicklow and Cork North divisions.
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Lucia Donohue at the Scoil Mhuire Rosslare Strand Confirmation
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