Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

The function of An Garda Síochána is set out in the Garda Síochána Act 2005 and includes regulating and controlling road traffic and improving road safety. I am informed by the Garda authorities that Garda management, to the greatest extent possible, ensures that the deployment of Garda traffic corps personnel reflects and coincides with identified peak periods of commuter traffic to facilitate the smooth flow of traffic during these times. Within the Dublin region, city and county, a specific traffic management plan - Operation Artery - is in place which allocates traffic corps resources to managing morning and evening peak traffic. Operation Artery operates as an inter-agency response to traffic management involving the four relevant local authorities and the public transport providers.

While one of the primary responsibilities of the Garda traffic corps is traffic management, all Garda resources respond to and deal with traffic management issues. Local Garda management has contingency plans in the event of a major road traffic incident on motorways, major arteries and other thoroughfares, with a major emergency plan in place specifically for an incident on the M50. The primary purpose of such plans is to ensure that such incidents are dealt with as expeditiously as possible to minimise disruption to traffic, to ensure that such incidents are subject to thorough investigation, and to ensure, as far as possible, the smooth flow of traffic by way of early notification to road users, through road-side and overhead notice-boards and the media, of the occurrence of a major incident and rolling traffic diversions.

I am informed that the incident to which the Deputy refers, and in which, tragically, a person was fatally injured, occurred at Steeven's Lane and involved a Luas tram. Steeven's Lane, which is not open to through traffic, was immediately closed to allow for the proper investigation of this serious incident, including a technical examination of the scene. An Garda Síochána has agreed protocols in place with Luas senior management when such incidents occur. Every effort is made in such circumstances to ensure continued access to and egress from locations and that road closures and stoppages of rail and tram services are kept to a minimum, while at all times ensuring that all available evidence is collected to allow such incidents to be thoroughly investigated.

See this speech in context