Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister will agree that the key to safer roads is confidence in the method of enforcement of the rules of the road. Garda resources police the roads and these resources have been slashed. The traffic corps has been slashed from 1,200 to 700 members. The CEO of the RSA has expressed serious concern about the lack of gardaí and checkpoints on the roads. It is one thing to say the RSA might need to examine the saturation of its media campaign and how effective or ineffective it is. Given the recent rise in the number of deaths, it is blatantly obvious to everybody that anybody intent on drinking and driving can confidently get into a car and know that there is no chance of him or her being stopped at a Garda checkpoint. That is the problem. The RSA has done good work in reducing the numbers with its graphic advertisements which have been very effective. The problem is the slashing of Garda resources and numbers in the traffic corps. Will the Minister restore the number in the traffic corps which was slashed by 500 to it previous level to address this? One must think in practical terms. It is common knowledge that there is no chance of being stopped at a checkpoint if one is drink driving. If we allow this to creep in, the figures will creep up accordingly.

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