Judge dismisses 15 cases of drink-driving

Fifteen motorists accused of drink-driving, including one driver facing two drink-driving charges, had their cases dismissed by a District Court judge yesterday.

At Ennis District Court, Judge Patrick Durcan dismissed the cases as a result of the High Court judgment in September which ruled the results of alcohol breath tests must be supplied in English and Irish to suspected drink- drivers, in a case relating to a Romanian national.

The Director of Public Prosecutions is mounting a legal challenge. However, Judge Durcan dismissed the cases at the District Court after Garda Insp John Ryan admitted the State "was in difficulty" in relation to the prosecutions.

Judge Durcan did not make any comment when dismissing the succession of cases yesterday but at Kilrush District Court last week, when dismissing a similar case, he said: “The law of the land is as is. The matter is in for hearing today and accordingly I dismiss.”

One of those to avoid prosecution yesterday was an Ennis man (42) whom the State was to allege was detected to be drink-driving on May 5th. The State was also to allege that the man was found to be drink-driving at the same location on August 11th.