Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am conscious of the fact that it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the training of personnel. I am also aware that the Policing Authority has a crucial role to play in changing the manner in which training in the Garda is amended. Notwithstanding that, it is important that the Minister and the Department play a part in emphasising the need to ensure that there is greater training within the force to deal with the vast array of legislation that is coming down the tracks.

As the Minister mentioned, the Crowe Horwath report found that a fundamental cause of the errors in the mandatory intoxicant testing was the lack of appropriate, timely and effective training for gardaí in the processing of road traffic offences. In fairness to members of the Garda, that is not surprising. Road traffic law changes with considerable frequency and road traffic Bills pass through the House regularly, and gardaí are responsible for ensuring that a new law, as introduced, is applied on the ground. For that reason, it is important that the Government recognises, and the Department emphasises, the requirement for there to be greater ongoing training on that matter. I do not know whether the Minister believes there is a requirement for him to emphasise the need for that training or for legislation to emphasise it.

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