Speeding convictions decline sharply as drink-driving rises

Charlie Flanagan

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan provided the figures in response to a number of parliamentary questions, the Irish Examiner reports.

Convictions for people caught driving while using their phone, given to Louth TD Fergus O’Dowd, indicated a 15 per cent reduction, from 1,887 drivers in 2016 to 1,598 in 2018. There have been 693 convictions to June of this year.

Mr Flanagan also provided Courts Service numbers on drink-driving convictions, which rose by 34 per cent, from 2,920 convictions in 2016 to 3,911 in 2018. There have been 1,808 convictions to June this year, indicating a consistent trend.

“Alarmingly, though drink-driving convictions are rising, figures reveal that speeding convictions have fallen dramatically,” said Meath West TD Peadar Tóbín, leader of the Aontú party.

Speeding convictions had “plummeted” between 2017 and 2018 he said.

“Drink-driving convictions have been rising year-on-year — from 2,920 in 2016 to 2,911 in 2018 with 1,808 people already convicted this year. This may reflect an increase in policing or a negative change in drink-driving due to a crash in policing in this area over the last decade.”

He also said, however, that the Garda traffic corps numbers have “fallen significantly”, dropping from 1,046 in 2009 to 623 in 2017.