Facts, just the facts...
Key Statistic:
Between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2023, 37.74% of drink driving cases in Ireland resulted in acquittals.
This means that 62.25% of prosecutions led to convictions nationally.
These figures, obtained from the Courts Service under the Freedom of Information Act, cover 34 courts across Ireland, including locations such as Letterkenny, Tralee, Ballina, and Wexford.
Why Are Drink Driving Cases Dismissed?
The Courts Service does not record the specific reasons why cases are struck out, dismissed, or withdrawn by the State.
This is due to the way prosecutors record case outcomes—limiting the ability to analyse trends in acquittals.
Dublin’s Unusual Conviction Rates
Dublin stands out with significantly different outcomes compared to the national average:
Conviction rate (2020-2023): 53.59% (below the national average of 62.25%).
Acquittal rate: 46.40% (above the national average of 37.74%).
This means defendants in Dublin have a statistically higher chance of acquittal than in most other parts of Ireland.
Regional Variations in Conviction Rates
Lowest Conviction Rate in Ireland
One court in the East recorded an acquittal rate of 64.49% between 2020 and 2023—nearly the inverse of the national average.
Highest Conviction Rates
Most courts convicted 70-75% of drink driving cases. However, one court on the Cork-Waterford route achieved a 100% conviction rate in 2023—the only court in the country to do so in any calendar year during this period.
Why Do Outcomes Differ So Much?
Several factors influence conviction rates:
Quality of evidence (e.g., witness reliability).
Prosecution handling (e.g., procedural errors, case preparation).
Judicial discretion (some judges apply stricter interpretations of different aspects of the law).
Key Takeaway
The outcome of a drink driving case in Ireland can vary significantly depending on where it is heard. While some courts dismiss more than a third of cases, others convict almost every defendant.
But regional differences aside, if all of the different aspects of a drink driving case are not legally proven, there is a strong likelihood of the charges being dismissed.
Comments