Co Monaghan will be one of the first places to get the Road Safety Authority's new self-service breathalyser terminals, and the reason is a grim one. The county is among the six with the highest rate of people killed and seriously injured in road traffic collisions in the country.
The RSA has gone to tender for an "interactive and connected breathalyser terminal service". It wants 20 terminals placed in hotels, pubs, golf clubs and large sports venues across at least 12 counties. At least one must go into each of the six worst-affected counties, which are currently Monaghan, Donegal, Mayo, Leitrim, Roscommon and Kerry.
How the machines work
The terminals use Dräger alcohol sensors and give a reading in about ten seconds. A person blows into a straw and the screen shows whether they are under or over the legal limit. If they are over, it estimates how long it will be before it is safe to drive.
The RSA says hotels will be "the backbone of the fleet", with terminals used at weddings, parties and other occasions where there are "constant fresh crowds". It wants venues with a steady turnover of guests, customers who depend on the car to get there and home, and "an encouraging host". A further 20 terminals would be used each summer, between May and September, at big events such as Electric Picnic, the Galway Races and the National Ploughing Championships.
What the pilot found
The plan follows a six-month pilot between August 2024 and February 2025, when breathalysers were put into hospitality venues and events around the country. Across more than 24,000 tests, 45 per cent of people who thought they were under the limit were actually over it. Of those who were over the 0.50g/l limit, 64 per cent said they had been planning to drive. Young men aged 18 to 34 were the most likely to underestimate how much alcohol was in their system.
The cost, and the criticism
The tender notice, published on 15 October, puts the estimated value at €1.5 million excluding VAT. Bids close on 4 December, and the RSA plans a briefing for interested companies on Tuesday 3 November. The RSA says the €1.5 million covers the full potential seven years of the contract, a three-year deal that can be extended twice by two years, including event work.
Social Democrats transport spokesperson Aidan Farrelly TD called the move "disgraceful" and "neglectful" and said it should be "stood down". He argued it sent the message that "just the one" is fine and marked "a sharp turn away from a zero-tolerance approach to drink-driving".
The RSA rejected that. "The RSA's message on drink-driving has not changed: if you are drinking, don't drive," a spokesperson said, adding that the point of the terminals is to show people the gap between how sober they feel and how much alcohol is actually in their system, not to suggest any amount is safe before driving. It says its interactive breathalysers have already been used 121,390 times at events.
The Monaghan picture
182 people were killed on Irish roads last year, the highest figure in five years. Monaghan County Council recently launched phase two of its road safety action plan, which aims to halve deaths and serious injuries by 2030, and local councillors have warned about rising drink and drug driving in north Monaghan.
Which Monaghan venue, or venues, will get a terminal has not been announced. That will be decided after a contractor is appointed.
