A Government minister has claimed gardai are carrying out "over the top" drink-driving checks because they oppose new road safety laws.
Disability Minister Finian McGrath said he had gotten complaints from parents about being breathalysed on the way to Mass and to pick up their kids from school.
He said he thinks checks should be carried out directly after pubs close and claimed that gardai had become politicised and were "making a point" by blaming Transport Minister Shane Ross when they stopped motorists. Mr McGrath said that Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein TDs had told him they had heard reports of this.
He also told the Sunday Independent he wanted Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to "de-politicise" An Garda Siochana.
Minister McGrath said: "To me, the breathalysing time should be at pub closing time between 12am and 2am in the morning.
"That's where the focus should be, so I don't know what agenda is going on there.
"If you're a public servant, you're working and you're paid by the State and you're paid by the taxpayer, you stay out of any subtle kind of thing whether it is a garda checkpoint saying 'oh I blame that Shane Ross, that's his fault'.
"That is being said at checkpoints. That's not good enough. That would not be tolerated in any other profession.
"I think they (gardai) are trying to make a point and they are not happy about it.
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"The law is there, implement the law, you're a civil servant, you're a public servant, get on with it.
"Some of them don't like the law, yes, I suspect that's part of the angle and they are saying 'well blame the Government' and I don't like that."
Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan today called the comments "bewildering and bizarre".
He added: "Allegations of ‘political policing’ unwise even dangerous."
He later added: "I disagree with Finian McGrath on this one."
A spokeswoman for An Garda Siochana told the Irish Mirror that the organisation "does not comment on remarks by third parties".
She added: "An Garda Siochana is a non-political organisation whose primary function is to keep people safe by preventing crime and enforcing laws as laid down by the Houses of the Oireachtas.
"A key means of saving lives on our roads is through reducing drink driving by enforcement and education. Checkpoints play an important role in this regard.
"Approximately 12 per cent of drink driving arrests occur between 8am and 2pm - this clearly shows that some people are driving over the legal limit during the morning and are putting their own lives and the lives of other road users at risk."
The spokeswoman also referred to a recent press release citing a 17% increase in drivers arrested for driving under the influence "that had a particular focus on the significant dangers posed by being over the limit the morning after the night before".
