"Out of control" - MEP slams Gardaí as drink and drug driving checkpoints in Louth down over 20%

Drink and drug driving checkpoints in Louth have dropped by 20.8% in 2025 compared to the year previous. 

Gardaí in the Louth/Cavan/Monaghan division carried out 470 Mandatory Intoxication Testing (MIT) Checkpoints in Q3 of 2025 compared to 594 during the same period in the year previous.

Concerns were raised by Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú about the decrease in MIT Checkpoints nationwide. 

Ms Ní Mhurchú said the difference in the number of checkpoints carried out in 2019 compared to 2025 is frightening. 

“Gardaí carried out thousands more roadside alcohol and drug checkpoints in 2019 than they did in 2025. The figures speak for themselves. In 2019, we had 140 deaths, but in 2025, we had 185 deaths. Drug driving is out of control but now Gardaí are testing less people."

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She said figures show a 37% increase in drug driving cases coming before the district courts in the first ten months of 2025 and called for Gardaí to launch a "massive increase in drug and drink driving checkpoints". 

"They have done the opposite and reduced them. I want to know the rationale for it. If it is a resource issue, lets deal with it but it must be pointed out that there were more Gardaí in 2025 than there were in 2019,” she said.

The Ireland South MEP said she has written to Minister Darragh O'Brien on the matter.  

Nationally the number of MIT checkpoints dropped by 7.5% to 11,958 from 12,930.