The number of arrests for drink and drug driving increased by around a quarter in Dublin during the first half of the year, despite a drop in traffic.
The Covid-19 lockdown meant the number of cars on the road fell significantly.
However new figures show people driving after taking drink or drugs were up by an average of 24 per cent.
The Dublin Metropolitan Region's Western Division saw the biggest increase with 93 more people arrested during January to June compared to the same time last year.
In total 384 drivers were detained.
The Northern division saw an extra 47 arrests, while the Southern division saw the numbers jump from 173 to 217.
All six Dublin Garda divisions saw increases. Nationally the figures were down 9 per cent on last year.
Eunan McKinney from Alcohol Action Ireland isn't surprised. He says more people are being caught as they make the switch from the pub to home drinking;
"During the first 12 weeks of the Covid crisis, you know the period when the pubs closed, we initially began to see a steady increase in the level of trade data indicating that the level of off sales was increasing all the time."
He says the figures peaked at around 90 per cent in May.
