23 drink driving and 16 drug driving arrests in Kilkenny garda operation

Gardaí in Kilkenny have arrested 39 people on suspicion of drink and drug driving in recent weeks as part of a high profile garda operation.

Operation Surround which ran over the past six weekends was set up in towns and villages across the county.

Garda units set up checkpoints on approach roads in and out of the urban centres and surrounded the town and village during the operation.

In total 23 people were arrested on suspicion of drink driving and 16 motorists were arrested on suspicion of drug driving. 

Divisional inspector for roads policing, Inspector Paul Donohoe said that that the operation was a 'great success' and urged the public to drive safely over the festive period. 

As part of Operation Surround 155 mandatory intoxicant checkpoints were carried out.

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1,690 breath tests were carried out and 63 drugs tests also took place. 26 vehicles were seized during the operation, which targeted both drink and drug drivers as well as travelling criminals in the run up to Christmas.

In November as  part of Operation Surround when they stopped a car in Ballyragget. The driver and passenger drove away from the checkpoint, but crashed  and overturned the vehicle a short time later on the Ballyragget to Freshford Road. Both men, who are in their 30s sustained minor injuries. Gardaí searched the vehicle and discovered cannabis with an approximate value of €40,000. The two men were arrested and have appeared in court.

There will also be a strong garda presence on roads over the coming days as local gardaí implement a nationwide Road Safety Enforcement Operation for the Christmas and New Year period. This operation will run until January 4, 2024.

To date, 180 people have lost their lives in Road Traffic Collisions on Irish roads. This is 29 more deaths than at this time last year. An Garda Síochána are urging all road users to be safe this Christmas and New Year, and the safety appeal focuses on the dangers of driving under the influence of an intoxicant, without a seatbelt, speeding or using a mobile phone while driving.