Dr. Declan Bedford:

I thank the Deputy. The ISO standard is 17025. Our analytical programmes have that accreditation. We are looking at other areas of business in this regard. Our equipment is always up to date and the best, and that is why we keep tendering. The equipment has a lifespan. It is a matter of staying with the best and ensuring it is as accurate, sensitive and specific as possible. Our staff train the members of the Garda and check all the equipment regularly to ensure it is performing properly. Since road safety fines represent one of the most challenging areas of legislation, the equipment has to be very good. The standards are very high.

The Deputy asked about the positivity rates. Of the approximately 4,800 samples we got, 2,151, or a little less than half, were positive. Sixty-six percent of those were positive for cannabis, 46% for cocaine, 8% for opiates and 5% for benzodiazepines. We encounter cases of polydrug or multiple drug use. In the new road safety strategy, it is recommended that we consider increasing the penalties for the use of more than one substance. A person might test positive for alcohol and one or two other drugs. If a motorist is positive for two drugs, the penalty should be higher than for one.

Regarding where we look forward to going, what we do is based purely on the legislation. If the legislation changes the limit for a new drug, that is where we go. We respond to the legislation rather than doing otherwise. However, we have to keep researching the trends also. When drug trends begin to emerge, people recommend to the Oireachtas Members or others the inclusion of such and such in the legislation.