Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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Question 378: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will confirm the number of Garda checkpoints that were in operation on the following bank holiday weekends this year: Friday 29 April to Monday 2 May, Friday 3 June to Monday 6 June, Friday 29 July to Monday 1 August and Friday 28 October to Monday 31 October separately; the number of checkpoints operating in each county on each weekend in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33164/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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All members of An Garda Síochána are tasked with the enforcement of relevant legislation, including the Road Traffic and Road Transport Acts. As part of this enforcement policy, members of An Garda Síochána set up checkpoints, including mandatory alcohol testing (MAT) checkpoints.

The information readily available relates to MAT checkpoints, which are authorised in writing by a District Officer or Inspector, are checkpoints to conduct mandatory breath testing. The objective of MAT checkpoints is to increase compliance by road users, detect incidents of drink driving, reduce road traffic fatalities and deter incidents of alcohol impaired driving by systematically selecting drivers to assess their level of alcohol impairment.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that to compile the information on a county basis would require a disproportionate use of Garda resources. The following table shows the numbers of MAT checkpoints over bank holiday weekends in 2011 broken down by Garda Division.

* Information provided is operational and liable to change and is valid to 2 November, 2011.