Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this serious and important issue. While the Garda has been testing drivers for drugs with the assistance of the Medical Bureau of Road Safety, MBRS, since 1999, the Deputy will be aware that the drug-driving provisions in the Road Traffic Act 2016 were only commenced by the then Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport on 12 April 2017. The Deputy has outlined some of its measures and, indeed, consequences if people are caught. One of the legislation's key measures provides for preliminary drug testing, which enables gardaí to test motorists at the roadside whom they suspect of driving under the influence of drugs. An Garda Síochána can establish roadside checkpoints, known as mandatory intoxicant testing checkpoints or MITs, to test drivers for the presence of alcohol and drugs. The operation of MITs and the enforcement of road traffic legislation are operational matters for the Garda Commissioner. The Deputy will appreciate that I as Minister have no role in these matters. However, I am assured that Garda management keeps the distribution of all resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities to ensure their optimum use. I am also assured that this is the case in Limerick.

An Garda Síochána enforcement figures indicate that 1,216 drug-driving arrests were made in the first six months of 2020, an astonishing figure compared with the 591 in the first half of 2018. This represents an increase of 106% in drug-driving arrests despite a 70% reduction in traffic during the period of the Covid-19 restrictions.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Government has committed to ensuring that the Garda has the maximum level of resources available to perform its policing duties. The Garda has been allocated an unprecedented budget of €1.952 billion for 2021. It is anticipated that each county, including Limerick, will benefit from this additional funding, some of which I will outline now. This level of funding is enabling sustained and ongoing recruitment of Garda members and staff first and foremost, given how important it is to ensure that these duties can be carried out. As a result, there are approximately 14,600 Garda members and more than 3,000 Garda staff nationwide. Budget 2021 will allow for the recruitment of up to 620 new gardaí and an extra 500 Garda staff. This recruitment is supporting the redeployment of gardaí from administrative to operational policing duties where their training and expertise can be used to best effect. An additional €22 million has been provided for Garda ICT, bringing the total allocation to more than €70 million for the second year in a row. There will also be continued investment in the Garda fleet of €8 million. This is in addition to the highest ever investment of approximately €15 million in the Garda transport fleet in 2020, a portion of which relates to the Garda Covid response. I anticipate that all of this additional funding will be spread depending on where the Commissioner and his team know resources are required.

Budget 2021 provides the Garda with a significant resource allocation to support its vital enforcement role on our roads. Drug-driving not only puts drivers at risk but also passengers and other road users. Preliminary drug testing strengthens the Garda's ability to tackle drug-driving and I am committed to supporting this important statutory enforcement provision in my role as Minister for Justice.

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