A CONFIDENTIAL phone line set up to encourage people to report family and friends to gardaí for dangerous or drink driving has received just 10 calls since its launch.

The 'Tough Love' initiative gives members of the public – particularly youths – a means to contact the authorities if they are concerned about somebody's driving.

But those behind the ground-breaking initiative, which was launched last March, say it has yet to take off, with an average of around just one call or text a week.

"It's slow to pick up but I suppose we expected that," said Eamonn Brown, road safety officer with Donegal County Council, who organised the system with gardaí, the emergency services and other members of the Donegal Road Safety Working Group (DRSWG).

"It's a big, big step and it could take 12 months until it gets to a stage where we have a steady stream of calls."

The phone line specifically targets the 'high-risk' group of 18-24-year-old drivers.

When they receive a call or text message from a member of the public, gardaí will visit the person in question and discuss the issue that has been brought to their attention.

"If they go out to speak to someone and they observe them breaking the law they will prosecute them," said Brown.

"But if they call to their house or stop them on the road they will just say: 'Look, you have come to our attention and we are told that you are a drink-driver or a habitual speeder and that has come to our attention. You need to sort yourself out.'"

Organisers have denied it is simply a move to allow gardaí get easy information on offenders, saying that there are already opportunities to do that through the garda confidential phone line.

"I know that the gardaí are keen that we get the levels up but [this) could possibly stop a fatal accident taking place on a weekend," he said.

"So although the numbers are low, [doing something] before something happens is very important."