Tipperary Garda chief stands by roadside drug tests

Tipperary Chief Superintendent Colm O’Sullivan has said he knows of no issues with roadside drug testing technology.

He also said at the recent sitting of the Tipperary Joint Policing Committee that both drink and drug driving suppresses a person’s abilities and roads are unpredictable.

“Kids are small and could come out between cars and then we have a serious collision.

“So, therefore, if you drink, do not drive. If you take drugs, do not drive. That is the message.

“We do not drink and drive,” said Chief Supt O’Sullivan.

He was responding to councillor John Crosse, who said he had heard a discussion on the Claire Byrne Show that morning about resources available to gardaí.

“I was sadly surprised and gobsmacked. I could hardly believe my ears that drug testing for gardaí is not up to what it should be for it to go to court,” said Cllr Crosse.

The councillor went on to say that as a publican, he sees what happens when “young lads” drive under the influence.

He recounted a time when he refused service to a man who went on to almost crash his car.

“A coat of paint was between him and a wall, he was a dead man,” said Cllr Crosse.

Cllr Crosse said that the focus is often on older men who have “a couple of pints” and then drive home.

If they were caught, they were banned even though, he said, they were “no danger whatsoever to the public”.

However, Chief Supt O’Sullivan told the committee that while he had not heard of the programme, he knew of no issue with drug testing kits.

He offered that perhaps there had been issues in individual cases, but it was not, to his knowledge a widespread issue.

‘no difficulty’

“I know of no difficulty. Drug driving has been tested in the courts for many years. It is one of the most contested pieces of legislation in the country,” said the Chief Superintendent.

Thurles Superintendent Eddie Golden said that he previously worked closely with the Medical Bureau and believed the testing devices to be accurate.

He said that the gardaí had recently changed to a “swipe-type” device.

This, he said, meant less analysis time and easier testing for a range of drugs

The device is also available for all gardaí.

Supt Golden said that drink driving was not “zero tolerance”, but that research showed that once someone had a drink, their thinking and abilities were impaired.

Additionally, a number of factors like how tired a person was may impact the effect alcohol has on their body.

Supt Golden said that he wanted to reassure the public that the equipment the gardaí have was effective.

“We have the tech and we are using it,” said Supt Golden.