With the festive season about to get into full swing, Monaghan County Council is urging everyone to plan their journey home and make road safety a priority. The annual ‘Gift of a Lift’ campaign, supported locally by An Garda Síochána, the National Ambulance Service and Monaghan Fire and Civil Protection, encourages people to give the ultimate gift this Christmas – a safe lift home.
Adrian O’Sullivan, Road Safety Officer with Monaghan County Council, explains: “The ‘Gift of a Lift’ Christmas card is a simple but powerful way to remind people to look out for each other. Roads are busier and conditions can be hazardous at this time of year. By gifting a lift or arranging a taxi, you can help ensure your loved ones get home safely.”
Sergeant Niall Leech from Monaghan Roads Policing Unit, has the following advice this Christmas party season: “Plan ahead before going out. Leave the car keys at home, use a taxi, or designate a driver. Remember, you may still be over the legal alcohol limit the next morning. Gardaí in County Monaghan will continue to target high-risk locations and times to prevent drink and drug driving. Our message is clear: Arrive home safe this Christmas and never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.”
Dermot Brannigan, Chief Fire Officer at Monaghan Fire & Civil Protection added: “Unfortunately our crews witness the catastrophic consequences that driving under the influence can have. Please make safer choices – wear your seatbelt, watch for vulnerable road users, never walk on the road when intoxicated or drive whilst under the influence of drink or drugs. By arranging a safe lift or taxi in advance you can reduce the risk of a road traffic accident and possible serious injury or death”.
Des Brennan, Paramedic Supervisor with the National Ambulance Service spoke of the far- and wide-ranging consequences of making the wrong choice. “The effects of attending the scene of road traffic collisions can be profound on members of the emergency services as well as families, friends, and local communities. We regularly attend serious collisions throughout the year, most of which didn’t even make the news headlines, but which have left people with life changing injuries. Our message is clear. Never take a chance on the road, and help others get home safely. The best night out is the one that ends without an emergency 999 call.”
As we enter the Christmas party season, 165 lives have been lost on Irish roads as of 1st December 2025, including three in County Monaghan.
The ‘Gift of a Lift’ card is available to print from www.Monaghan.ie or collect from any County Monaghan library branch, while stocks last.
This Christmas, give the gift that truly matters – the gift of getting home safely.