More than 500 drivers have been arrested for suspected drink-driving during the first two weeks of the Garda's pre-Christmas clampdown.
Provisional figures show the gardaí made 249 arrests during week one of the campaign, which started on November the 23rd and 299 arrests during week two. The combined total of 548 is only one less than the figure for the same period last year.
Commenting on the figures, a Garda spokesman told ireland.comhe believed the offence of drink-driving in urban areas was decreasing as people became more informed of the dangers.
Supt Ian Hamill, PSNI
But the new laws allowing gardaí more powers to request breath test from drivers, which came into force this year, do not as yet appear to have made much of difference in the numbers being arrested.
The laws mean gardaí can now request a roadside breath test if they believe the driver has committed a traffic offence or been involved in a collision whereas in the past gardaí could only request a test if they suspected the driver of consuming alcohol.
The Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, intends to extend Garda powers further next year allowing them to set up checkpoints for random breath testing.
Garda Commissioner Mr Noel Conroy last month wrote to all divisional and local Garda commanders ordering a major crack-down on drink-driving. Last year's campaign resulted in 1,449 arrests, a 17 per cent rise on the previous year.
In the North, the PSNI said today it had detected 132 drink drivers as part of a tough new winter crackdown on Northern Ireland's roads.
This represents an additional 16 on the figures for the same period last year. The PSNI warned that increased breath-testing would continue over Christmas in a bid to catch even more offenders.
Superintendent Ian Hamill declared: "This shows clearly that police are determined that there will be no hiding place for those who drink and drive."
With 28 road deaths last year blamed on drink, police are determined to weed out all those who should not be behind the wheel.
Among those arrested were motorists unfit to drive and those who were unable or refused to give a sample.
Mr Hamill claimed the detection rate and extra screening - up from 618 last year to 919 so far during the latest campaign - reflected the robust police approach.
He also urged those spilling out of pubs and clubs on foot to take more care.
"It is important that drivers take on board the message that they should never, ever drink and drive," the head of Road Policing Development said. "But drunken pedestrians can be a real problem. It isn't always the motorist who is at fault.
