Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 888: To ask the Minister for Transport further to information provided at the Joint Committee on Transport on 2 November 2005, the number of positive tests for drugs conducted by the MBRS on samples found to be below the legal limit for alcohol in 2004 and 2005; the number of drugs tests conducted in both of these years; and the total that were confirmed positive by the State laboratory in both of these years. [2294/06]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 889: To ask the Minister for Transport the number of blood, urine and breath tests received by the MBRS in 2004 and 2005 with a breakdown for each category and each year; the number of tests in each year that were found to be above the legal limit for alcohol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2295/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 888 and 889 together.

I have not directed a date under Article 18(1) of the Medical Bureau of Road Safety Establishment Order 1968 by which the medical bureau is required to submit its annual report. The bureau submits its annual report and accounts to the Department on the completion of the audit of the accounts by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General, and after the translation of the report into Irish under section 10 of the Official Languages Act 2003. The bureau submitted the 2004 annual report and audited accounts to the Department in November 2005 and the report was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas in December 2005. It is a matter for the bureau to publish the report. I understand, in this context, that the report is being printed at present, and will be published in the coming weeks. Work is commencing in the bureau on the preparation of the 2005 annual report and accounts.

Data relating to the results of the tests carried out by the Medical Bureau of Road Safety in respect of the establishment of the presence of drugs and-or alcohol in samples presented to it by the Garda are set out in the bureau's annual reports. Data relating to 2005 is not yet available. However, in 2004, 569 specimens were tested for the presence of a drugs or drugs. This figure includes all the specimens received which were under the legal limit for alcohol and 32 specimens where the alcohol level was over the legal limit and drug analysis was requested by the Garda. There were also four specimens where subsequent drug analysis was requested by the Garda in respect of persons who had been required to submit to evidential breath tests.

The 2004 report does not give details of the number of positive tests for drugs on samples found to be below the legal limit for alcohol. However, 354 specimens tested positive and 247 specimens were confirmed positive. In 2004, a total of 12,161 blood, urine and breath specimens were analysed for alcohol concentration. Some 4,103 blood and urine specimens were received for analysis in 2004 and 8,058 breath specimens were taken at Garda stations. Some 84.6% of blood and urine samples analysed were found to be over the legal limit for alcohol and 80.1% of breath specimens were over the legal limit.