Motorists who drink and drive have been warned that they face every possibility of being arrested by gardaí over the holiday period.
The gardaí say they will be engaged in a concerted effort to combat drink driving before, during and after the Christmas and New Year period.
The warning comes as the Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen, said it appeared that the total numbers of people killed on Irish roads this year will exceed the total for last year.
The National Safety Council and the Garda Press Office have confirmed to RTÉ that the total number of road deaths so far this year has now reached 336.
This is exactly the same number of people killed on Irish roads during 2003.
Mr Cullen noted studies that show four out of every ten road deaths are a direct result of drink driving, and said that drink drivers should be treated as 'pariahs' in Irish society.
