Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 669: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he is in a position to provide the information requested under Parliamentary Questions Nos. 464 and 465 on 7 February 2006 in relation to the prosecution of drink-driving offences. [10698/06]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 670: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he is in a position to provide the information requested under Parliamentary Question No. 145 of 26 January 2006 in relation to the number of arrests and summons for drink driving. [10699/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 669 and 670 together.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of arrests for drink driving for each of the years 2000-2004 is set out in the following table:

The number of cases where proceedings were commenced either by summons or charge is outlined in the following table:

The figures for 2005 are not yet available.

The breakdown of cases where proceedings commenced under sections 49(2), 49(3) and 49(4) of the Road Traffic Act 1961 in respect of blood, urine and breath samples in each of the years 2000 to 2005 is set out in the following table:

The following table sets out the breakdown of convictions under sections 49(2), 49(3), and 49(4) of the Road Traffic Act 1961 in respect of blood, urine and breath samples in each of the years 2000 to 2005:

Proceedings may commence in a year subsequent to the year of arrest and are not necessarily commenced and concluded in the same year. Statistics are not available for 1999 as PULSE did not capture such data at that time.

I have also been informed by the Garda authorities that there is no undue delay in instituting proceedings where the blood, urine and breath level exceeds the legal limit.

In cases where the certificate from the evidential breath testing instrument indicates the breath alcohol concentration exceeds the legal limit, it is the policy of the Garda Síochána to charge the person concerned.

In the case of blood and urine, specimen analysis is carried out by the Medical Bureau of Road Safety and, on receipt of a certificate from the bureau indicating blood or urine concentration exceeding the legal limit, an appropriate summons is applied for to bring the case before the courts.

Proceedings are not commenced for drink driving primarily because the blood, urine or breath alcohol concentration does not exceed the legal limit. Where a person fails or refuses to provide a blood, urine or breath specimen proceedings may be instituted for such failure or refusal and proceedings may not be commenced for drink driving.

I am also informed that records are not compiled in such a way as to indicate the number of cases where proceedings were not commenced and the amount of time it would take to compile such information could not be justified.