Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 420: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his plans to ensure the Garda has sufficient resources to enforce road traffic laws, particularly on national motorways; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14147/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The establishment of a Garda traffic corps was announced on 23 November 2004 and the strategic review of traffic policing was also published on that date. An assistant commissioner traffic was appointed on 22 February 2005. He has been tasked with implementing the recommendations contained in the strategic review of traffic policing encompassing a number of resource areas including human, transport and speed detection equipment. Implementation will be over a three and a half to four year period. I am informed that the strength of the Garda traffic corps over the next four years will be as set out as follows:

This expansion of the staffing resources of the traffic corps will occur in tandem with the overall expansion of the Garda force to 14,000 members over that period. All personnel assigned to the new traffic corps will have completed the standard training programme. It is important to remember that all gardaí have responsibility, inter alia, to enforce road traffic laws as and when breaches of road traffic laws occur.

Resources will be deployed in built-up areas, on non-urban regional and local roads, national roads and motorways, in order to achieve the six strategic objectives for road traffic policing identified in the strategic review of traffic policing, namely, contribute to reducing road fatalities and casualties; improve traffic flows; enforce road traffic legislation effectively and consistently; enforce road transport and haulage legislation effectively and consistently using available technologies; provide appropriate policing support and response to the national development plan provisions relating to traffic and transport; and provide a systematic and structured road traffic collision investigation service, and provide accurate, timely and sufficiently detailed information to key stakeholders.

Vehicles dedicated to the Garda traffic corps and traffic duties are in a constant state of evolution in terms of their equipment and markings. The objective of the Garda fleet management section with regard to the provision of resources for traffic law enforcement is to ensure traffic units have at their disposal the most effective transport resources to safely manage the traffic on Irish roads. To date this year 24 vehicles have been allocated to traffic duties as part of the normal replacement program. Further replacements will take place during 2005.