The number of people arrested for suspected drunk driving during the Garda's annual road safety campaign has increased by 13 per cent on last year, according to the latest figures.
The Garda said 885 drivers had been arrested for suspected drink driving offences in the first three weeks of the campaign, which started at the end of November.
Last year, some 786 people were arrested in the same period. In week three of the drink-driving clampdown this year, 318 drivers were arrested compared to 238 during the same week of 2003, the Garda said.
The number of drivers breath tested so far has been 1,159, compared to 828 last year, an increase of 40 per cent.
Road deaths during the pre-Christmas period have also increaseed. Some 26 people have been killed on the roads in the first three weeks of the month compared to 13 in 2003. Eleven of these were pedestrians.
To date, 375 people have died on the roads since January, compared to 335 for the same period last year.
The figures have caused serious concern as they mean road deaths are now up to pre-penalty point levels. The death toll for this year is expected to be the highest in three years.