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

While I am fully aware that the Garda Commissioner has statutory responsibility for Garda training, the Minister has political responsibility for An Garda Síochána. As such, I cannot directly question the Garda Commissioner but I can directly question the Minister on behalf of members of the public, which is what I am doing. It is important to note concerns raised by the Garda Representative Association that more than half of all front-line gardaí are not qualified to drive with flashing blue lights and cannot respond to emergency call-outs. The fact that no training course is provided for pursuit driving, other than the training provided in the emergency response unit, was highlighted in October 2014 when a woman died tragically after being struck by a vehicle being pursued by members of An Garda Síochána. The lack of training was also highlighted by the Regency Hotel shootings in 2016 when it emerged that the driver of one of the first patrol cars to respond was not qualified to drive either at speed or with his siren or blue lights on. This is a matter of a concern.

The Minister stated that 2,700 gardaí have completed the CBD level 2 course since 2009. However, he did not answer my question as to what percentage of members of An Garda Síochána had received CBD level 2 training to enable them to drive at high speed during pursuits.

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