Gardaí today begin a major road safety operation aimed at cutting road deaths over the bank holiday weekend.
Operation Lifesaver, the latest Garda safety campaign, will focus particularly on drink driving. It runs throughout the June bank holiday weekend, concluding next Monday.
An Garda Siochána
Checkpoints will be put in place at pub closing time, and unmarked Garda cars will target "habitual drink drivers who leave pubs prior to, or after closing time," the Garda press office said.
Three people were killed and 54 people were injured over the June bank holiday last year.
Some 6,145 people were arrested for drink driving offences between January 1st and May 1st this year.
In a statement, the Garda said: "The key message is - If you drink, don't drive. People who drink and drive may kill or injure themselves or others. They also face the prospect of being arrested, convicted in court, disqualified from driving, fined and even imprisonment."
After the wettest May on record, summer seems to have been finally ushered in with a sunny, hot June bank holiday weekend predicted by weather forecasters.
Met Éireann says the weather will be dry and settled for the weekend and until Tuesday, with temperatures of between 20 and 25 degrees.
Cities and towns throughout the State will witness the mass exodus of commuters from early afternoon, and traffic is expected to be heavy on most major routes.
Thousands of people will head for Kilkenny for the annual Smithwicks Cat Laughs festival, which began yesterday and runs until Monday.
The glorious weather will likely add to the good mood in the Marble City as festival-goers enjoy entertainment from old "Cat Laughs" hands Rich Hall and Dom Irrera, and Irish comedians such as Dara Ó Briain, Colin Murphy and Des Bishop.
In Co Meath, the 18th-century Ballinlough Castle near Athboy is the venue for the Garden Party on Sunday. Described as an "intimate dance music festival", the event will include performances from acts such as The Orb, 2Many DJs and Asian Dub Foundation.
On the sporting front this weekend, there are a number of hurling and football fixtures on Sunday's calendar.
Longford will play Dublin at Pearse Park in the quarter final of the Leinster Senior Football Championship. Kick-off is at 2.30pm.
Donegal battle Down in the quarter final of the Ulster Senior Football Championship at 4pm. In Portlaoise at 3.45pm, Laois play neighbours Carlow, also in a Leinster football quarter final.
The big event is the Munster Senior Hurling Championship semi-final between Waterford and Tipperary at Pairc Ui Chaoimh at 2pm on Sunday.
The Garda, motoring organisations and the Road Safety Authority have urged road users to take particular care over the weekend.
AA Roadwatch says warm weather and traffic congestion can easily frustrate a tired driver. The body warns motorists never to drink and drive, to always wear a seatbelt and, above all, to "expect the unexpected".