Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 June 2024
236. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí assigned to roads policing units; if she will update her Department’s website with publication of figures for the month of April 2024, by Garda division; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25956/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraRoad safety is a shared responsibility, and while led by the Department of Transport, it is one which is taken very seriously across Government. We have all been shocked by the recent loss of life on our roads, and concerned by the worrying increase in road fatalities after many years of progress in making our roads safer.
I continue to engage with colleagues across Government, in particular Minister Chambers, to ensure that every effort is made to increase safety on our roads.
Road traffic laws are enforced on an ongoing basis by both Roads Policing personnel and as part of the day-to-day duties of uniformed Gardaí nationwide. This includes a programme of high-visibility road safety and enforcement operations carried out in partnership with other state agencies. The Commissioner has also recently directed that all uniform Garda members are to be deployed on high visibility roads policing operations, of 30 minutes duration, in each tour of duty.
Approximately 25% of all roads enforcement is undertaken by regular units and 75% of drug/drink driving checks are carried out by regular units.
Every frontline Garda member now has a mobility device, which is essentially a mobile phone that allows them to access a number of specialised Garda apps at the roadside. These include the ability to issue a Fixed Charge Notice, to check a vehicle's insurance status, if a vehicle is taxed and whether a driver is disqualified. These tasks can now be done within moments, without the need to return to the station. The Commissioner also stated he aims to have an additional 100 static road safety cameras in place by the end of next year.
I am advised that as of 30 April 2024, there were 630 Roads Policing Gardaí assigned across all Divisions. Funding provided by the Government under Budget 2024 will allow for the recruitment of 800-1000 new Gardaí, which will increase the number of frontline Gardaí available to the Garda Commissioner to allocate as he deems appropriate. It is expected that it will soon be possible to allocate more members to the roads policing unit.
The Commissioner has said that 150 members of the force will be added to the road policing units in the next two years in order to meet road safety targets, with the hope that the number would increase to 700 within a year.
The below table sets out the number of gardai assigned to roads policing units per division.
|
DIVISION |
Apr-24 |
|
D.M.R. EAST |
7 |
|
D.M.R. NORTH |
11 |
|
D.M.R. NORTH CENTRAL |
17 |
|
D.M.R. SOUTH |
8 |
|
D.M.R. SOUTH CENTRAL |
11 |
|
D.M.R. WEST |
9 |
|
D.M.R. TRAFFIC/ROADS POLICING |
90 |
|
KILDARE |
25 |
|
LAOIS / OFFALY |
24 |
|
MEATH/WESTMEATH |
34 |
|
WICKLOW |
16 |
|
DONEGAL |
23 |
|
SLIGO / LEITRIM |
16 |
|
KILKENNY/CARLOW |
19 |
|
WATERFORD |
15 |
|
WEXFORD |
21 |
|
CORK CITY |
28 |
|
CORK NORTH |
19 |
|
CORK WEST |
29 |
|
KERRY |
21 |
|
LIMERICK |
33 |
|
GALWAY |
37 |
|
CLARE/TIPPERARY |
41 |
|
MAYO/ROSCOMMON/LONGFORD |
40 |
|
LOUTH/CAVAN/MONAGHAN |
36 |
|
TOTAL |
630 |
The Deputy can appreciate that while the distribution of Garda resources is an operational matter for the Commissioner, I am assured the distribution is kept under continual review.
An Garda Síochána provide Garda HR figures to my Department which are subsequently published on the Department’s website in the interest of transparency. Information in relation to the allocation of Gardaí nationwide, including Roads Policing units, can be found at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/bd777-an-garda-siochana-your-police-service-some-facts-and-figures/
