Just over 70 gardaí have been trained in how to use the new roadside drug testing devices, writes Joyce Fegan.

Legislation has come into effect allowing gardaí to carry out mandatory roadside drug testing on motorists for cannabis, cocaine, opiates and benzodiazepines.

“The Garda National Roads Policing Bureau is in consultation with the Garda College and Continuous Professional Development Trainers nationwide in respect of the rollout of training in the use of these devices.

“A small number of personnel (72) both instructors and operational personnel have already received training in the use of these devices. Devices have been allocated to 86 Garda stations,” a spokesman for the Garda Síochána told the Irish Examiner.

Assistant Commissioner Michael Finn said that mandatory impairment checkpoints will be in place around Ireland this Easter Bank Holiday Weekend: “We’ll have checkpoints in every district throughout the country this weekend, I can assure you.”

These drug-testing devices are installed in 86 Garda stations nationwide and there are 50 mobile units available to gardaí.

They work by placing a swab stick in the mouth of a motorist to gather saliva. This stick is then placed in a small machine and after about eight minutes it will determine if it has tested either ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ for the four drug types.

If it tests positive and the motorist is considered to be ‘impaired’ they are arrested and a blood sample will be taken and analysed by the Medical Bureau of Road Safety.

Assistant Commissioner Finn said that training was focused on the traffic corps for now.

“It is initially focused on the traffic corps because they’re the ones who are supposed to be using most of it and the rest of the organisation will be trained. We will have over 2,000 people trained in impairment testing to go along with that,” he said.

However, it will be several months before the entire force has been trained in how to use the new devices.

“Only personnel who have received this training will utilise the devices at this time. Training will be provided to all personnel who require same over the coming months.

“It is anticipated that the majority of Traffic Corps personnel will have received this training by the end of this month with the initial phase of training to be completed by the end of May for all other personnel,” the garda spokesman said.

There are no figures available on how many tests have been carried out since the underpinning legislation came into effect last Thursday.

Furthermore, “for operational reasons,” the garda spokesman could not detail the number of checkpoints planned for this weekend.

The assistant commissioner was also asked if he could give an assurance that the testing would be accurate following the breathalyser results scandal.

“We now actually record the device, which has been supplied to by the Medical Burea of Road Safety and the readings, so that we can give you actually the statistics that we can stand over ourselves. I’m confident we will be able to stand over those statistics,” the assistant commissioner said.

This article first appeared in the Irish Examiner.