Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 May 2021
629. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 645 of 10 February 2021, the progress to date made by An Garda Síochána in updating the 2014 Roads Policing Manual to provide updated guidelines in respect of forensic collision investigations: the timeframe for the completion of the updates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23850/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible, by law, for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including all operational matters. I, as Minister, have no direct role in these matters.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that Garda Forensic Collision Investigators provide expert analysis of collision scenes to determine the root cause of collisions.
I am further informed that the Garda Síochána Roads Policing Manual, which issued in 2014, provided updated guidelines in respect of Forensic Collision Investigations. An update of the 2014 manual is currently underway. It is not possible to provide definitive timeframes for the completion of the document at present. It is envisaged that the Roads Policing Manual will be introduced in conjunction with the roll-out of the Operational Model across the organisation. I am also advised that the roles and responsibilities of Forensic Collision Investigators will be incorporated into the forthcoming updated Roads Policing Manual.
I am assured that An Garda Síochána continually review the operational effectiveness of units and processes and this is similarly the case with Forensic Collision Investigators, where technology and practices are evolving.
