Alcohol Action Ireland press release, Tuesday, 31 March 2026
Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI), the national independent advocate to reduce alcohol harm, welcomes today’s (Tuesday, 31 March) vote by Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) in favour of extending the time limit for taking blood samples from drivers after road traffic collisions.
The motion, which calls for an increase to the current 3-hour limit from the time of a collision, is one of a series of recommendations included in AAI’s recent report, Alcohol and road safety, which collates relevant national and international data and puts forward a series of recommendations including:
- the need for a standard breath testing target equal to every licensed driver being tested at least once a year
- updating of laws regarding the collection of blood samples from suspected drink drivers
- impounding of vehicles for a failed breath test as is the case for uninsured vehicles
- the introduction of the alcohol ignition interlock system for offenders
AAI CEO Dr Sheila Gilheany said: “This vote by AGSI is an acknowledgement that the current system needs updating, which includes not only an extension to the time limit that a blood sample can be taken but also changes to the procedures around how that sample is collected. There must also be targeted increases in the number of roadside breath tests carried out every year and the immediate impounding of vehicles from those caught drink driving.
“Current Government strategy on road safety set an ambitious target in 2021 of a 50% reduction in road deaths and serious injuries by 2030. However, recent years have seen a significant toll on Irish roads with 2025 being the worst year for fatalities since 2014, and tragically 2026 so far is even worse. Government needs to adopt a strategy that considers every aspect of how collisions occur and this obviously includes tackling the scourge of drink driving.
“Alcohol is involved in over a third of driver deaths on our roads. Around one in eight drivers in Ireland admit to having driven after consuming alcohol in the past 12 months, while Ireland has the lowest level of roadside breath testing in the EU. This means that around 380,000 people drink drive each year – that’s on average more than 1,000 drink drivers on our roads every day – yet in 2025 there were only 4,867 arrests for drink driving, meaning drink drivers have a mere 1.3% chance of being caught at a checkpoint in Ireland.
“This being the Easter bank holiday weekend when there are increased garda checkpoints on our roads, it was disconcerting to see the recent data showing negligible increases in drink driving arrests around bank holiday months and at Christmas despite the extra checkpoints at times that are known to be associated with increased alcohol consumption. Australia has set a breath test target equal to testing every driver at least once a year, so people know they have a good chance of being caught. More than one-third of driver fatalities in Ireland had been drinking prior to the incident, in Australia that figure is 14%.
“There are also cumbersome legal procedures around the collection of blood samples following collisions, leading some offenders to evade detection. As in Australia, any Emergency Department doctor or nurse should be able to take a sample and store it in a one-way safe to preserve the chain of evidence. The time window for taking blood samples following a collision must be extended from the current 3-hour limit to 12 hours. This is particularly relevant given the long distances to some hospitals from collisions in rural areas.
“Crucially, Government must act on the significant international evidence that reducing population-level alcohol consumption by enhancing controls on price, marketing and availability has an impact in reducing alcohol related collisions. Research across the EU indicates that a 10% increase in alcohol prices is associated with a 7% reduction in road deaths – for Ireland in 2025 that would be 13 people still alive. Every Budget that doesn’t include an increase in excise duties is a missed opportunity to reduce deaths on Irish roads.
“There is also a significant body of research which shows the link between increased alcohol availability through longer licensing hours and impacts on road safety. For example, a one-hour extension of late-night opening hours is associated with a 30% increase in road collisions on rural roads, where more than seven in ten fatalities occur. The Programme for Government states there are plans to introduce changes to licensing hours through the Sale of Alcohol Bill/Intoxication Liquor Bill which are in development with the Department of Justice. It is essential that the Government does not make a bad situation worse through such actions.”
In advance of voting, the AGSI conference heard from AAI board member Dr Eoin Fogarty, Emergency Medicine and Retrieval Consultant who works in the Emergency Department of Cork University Hospital, who is leading the calls for change.
Dr Fogarty said: “I have witnessed some truly horrific scenes that were the result of drink driving and having to tell someone their loved one has been killed or seriously injured is something I’ve had to do far too often, when more can be done to eradicate it. Unfortunately, in Emergency Departments we regularly see obviously intoxicated people avoid drink-drive testing due to the law as it currently stands. Similarly, people who make the decision to drink drive are allowed back driving immediately after failing a test, yet vehicles are removed from people who drive without tax and insurance. There is no logic in this.
“A further issue is the time pressure to collect a blood sample from a drink driver. At present, samples must be taken within 3 hours of a collision. However, this window is often unrealistic as delays or complications at a collision site as well as the travel time to a hospital can be significant, especially if the crash has happened in a rural area. This leads to Gardaí and medical staff working against the clock in already high-pressure situations. Extending this timeframe to 12 hours would ensure that those responsible for serious collisions do not escape justice.”
ENDS
