Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have raised the issue with the Minister in the past and he responded adequately to the query about the number of unmarked Garda speed detection vehicles on major roads. I instanced an example on the N4, on which there is a speed limit of 100 km/h for the entire length from Dublin to Sligo, with the exception of a number of towns and villages. It is not until one comes to Longford that one must slow to under 100 km/h through the villages of Ballinalack, Rathowen and Edgeworthstown. Longford is bypassed, as are other villages in County Leitrim, and it is not until one reaches Sligo that speed must be reduced again. There are one or two stops on the road, one outside Carrick-on-Shannon on the N4 at Annaduff. It comprises a pub on one side of the road which is faced by a church where religious ceremonies, with the exception of funerals, are confined to weekends. Nevertheless, a driver is immediately requested to drop from 100 km/h to 60 km/h and, within the space of approximately 200 yards, 50 km/h. After a couple of hundred yards the speed limit increases to 60 km/h. I go into such detail to ask if the Garda considers it important and relevant to ensure safety on the road to have an unmarked car operate in the area. I am not talking about GATSO vans. There are other instances in my county to which I could refer, but I will not do so. I am sure the same is true for other Members. Is there a case for the Garda authorities to indicate on-line where they are locating unmarked cars? One can access the locations of GATSO vans on-line and there are signs across the road network which indicate where a car is entering a speed camera area. There is no such sign in the example I have outlined. Will the Minister consider requesting the Garda authorities to publish where they generally located unmarked Garda vehicles? If the purpose of the exercise is to encourage all of us to slow down, rather than engage in a revenue gathering exercise or making a person's record of prosecutions look good, surely there is a case to be answered to make the information available on-line. I am referring specifically to unmarked Garda speed detection cars rather than GATSO vans in the context of povided the required evidence.