Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We were told by the Minister for Education and Skills this morning that there will be a very fundamental look at An Garda Síochána, for example, removing the security function from day-to-day policing. Has the Tánaiste given any thought to the possibility that the traffic corps could become an autonomous organisation with An Garda Síochána with its own commander and its own complement of staff? I remember asking the assistant commissioner with responsibility for traffic about this matter. He told me that the traffic corps is there but when its members are needed, they are on general Garda duties. Is it time for a dedicated traffic corps? When Fianna Fáil began the austerity programme, there were 1,250 gardaí who were just responsible for traffic.

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