Mr. Drew Harris:

Like every action a Garda member may have to take, he or she has to be able to explain the rationale for engaging particular powers at any particular time. It is about the decision-making process that gardaí go through. There are duties placed on the organisation and, therefore, on the members of An Garda Síochána. Those duties include the prevention and detection of crime, preservation of life, and keeping the peace. Those are a heavy responsibility and are not opt-in or opt-out. It may be that it is appropriate to follow at a distance but to inform the control room so that further down the road a checkpoint or a vehicle-stopping device can be put in place. It is not about ignoring the situation. At all times, proactive action is required.