Over the weekend, there were two fatalities on our roads, while six serious collisions resulted in six individuals sustaining severe and life-threatening injuries.

Judge Gabbett said that the defence put forward on behalf of Mr Sheehan was “a very important point raised in defence”.

Research from the RSA revealed 45 per cent of people who were over the legal alcohol limit when they were tested at Flinebox breathalyser kiosks thought they were fit to drive.

Ahead of the national holiday, drivers and all other road users are being reminded to plan ahead and organise a safe way home if socialising over the coming days.

163 people were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

A total of 174 people were killed in road collisions in 2024, including 15 persons in December.

Over the Christmas period alone, there were eight fatalities on Irish roads and 20 people received serious and life-threatening injuries.

Inspector Fergal O’Donovan from the Cork County Roads Policing Unit has warned drink and drug drivers that they will get caught.

The woman was slurring her words and appeared to be intoxicated when she was arrested at the scene.

During the month of December 2023, 14 people lost their lives on Irish roads and 124 were seriously injured.

Jennifer Thomas (46), of Oakfield View, Glanmire, Co Cork, was also banned from driving for 10 years.

143 people have been killed on the roads so far this year.

Rebecca Griffith, 33, of Blackheath Park, Clontarf, Dublin, had been drinking vodka from a 7Up bottle in her car before the collision on Malahide Road on August 17th last year.

The social media campaign is aimed at students across Ireland as they settle back in college and begin considering, researching and planning a summer abroad next year on USIT’s J1 USA visa programme.

Brian Kelly (43) was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for a period of two years, in 2009 having pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Claire Hennessy the previous year

Inspector Tony O’Sullivan told Fermoy District Court that in the early hours of October 2nd, 2022 a black Range Rover Discovery was observed driving erratically in Fermoy town centre

Gardaí said they put in place an extensive road policing operation from last Thursday until Tuesday morning.

Damian McNamara (39) was jailed for dangerous driving causing the death of his girlfriend, Stephanie Fitzpatrick (37)

James Healy, of Farran, Ring in Co Cork, who ended up naked in the incident near Timoleague last July, had “practically toxic” levels of alcohol in his system

There were two road fatalities from February 1st to 6th

Chief Superintendent Jane Humphries said it was ‘dreadful’ that three people had already been killed on Irish roads in 2024

Niamh McDonnell, (30), Gortskagh, Castlemahon, Co Limerick was “drunk and had drugs in her system” when she got behind the wheel of her mother-in-law’s car on June 30th, 2022