asked the Minister for Justice whether any prearranged organised procedure exists which may be followed by the Garda Síochána in emergency, storm or other conditions such as obtained in Dublin City on 11th June; and, if so, what procedure; and in particular whether there is any arrangement for the collection of relevant information as to the extent of flooding or other hazards by mobile patrols of Gardaí and the dissemination of such information by traffic control Gardaí, or by any other means, to motorists proceeding towards areas where the roads have become impassable.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Garda Procedure in Emergency Conditions.
66.
The duties and responsibilities of the Garda Síochána in an unforeseeable emergency such as occurred in Dublin on the evening of 11th June cannot usefully be the subject of detailed advance planning. The Garda Síochána undertake, within the limits of their resources, to warn or divert traffic on the occasions of flooding, etc., and, despite assertions to the contrary, I am assured that motorists on both the major arteries affected were advised individually by the Garda Síochána to turn back, but that a considerable proportion of them declined to do so, preferring to take their chance on getting through the flood or on the flood subsidising. I am informed that even in Merrion Road heavy vehicles were able to get through until after 5 p.m. and that, on Donnybrook Road, some traffic was able to get through at all times. The scope for traffic diversion was extremely limited since the flooding was not confined to one road but affected all routes towards Blackrock and Dún Laoghaire.