John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response, but it has not allayed my fears and concerns. I acknowledge there was a significant improvement in road safety last year, but one life lost on the roads is one too many. We all have a role to play in this regard. It is interesting to note that the Road Safety Authority, when it looked at road fatalities for the period 2008 to 2012, found that speeding was a contributory factor in 32% of road fatalities and alcohol in 38%. These are clearly issues of enforcement in which an active Garda traffic corps continues to have a role to play, notwithstanding the improvements that were made last year. In reply to a parliamentary question I tabled, the Minister reiterated that Templemore reopened in 2014 and that recruitment has been ongoing. My specific concern is that he indicated that only 627 gardaí were assigned to the unit in December 2017. Back in 2014, when Templemore was reopening, there were 800 gardaí in the traffic corps. As Templemore has reopened and the Department recruits more personnel, our traffic corps is diminishing. That is my concern.

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