Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

The Army is one example. During an impassioned contribution to a Private Members' debate in the Dáil, Deputy Costello pleaded with me to transfer elements of Garda training to a new campus in his constituency at Grangegorman. However, the public relations aspect of that would not be good. It would have been better to use the description, "north inner city Dublin".

The traffic corps was mentioned. Senator Higgins and I have diametrically opposite views on what such a corps should entail. He argues that non-members of the Garda should carry out traffic policing duties. My officials and I examined that possibility carefully but we concluded that a force other than the Garda carrying out drink driving arrests and setting up road blocks would create major problems. It would need its own ombudsman commission and barracks. Where would arrested people be taken? Would the force have stations throughout the country or would it share Garda stations?