asked the Minister for Justice the proposals, if any, for improving the enforcement of the regulations governing the management of road traffic; and if he would consider the setting up of a separate traffic police.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Traffic Management.
3.
The Garda Síochána are the primary enforcing agency in relation to road traffic law. There is already within the Garda Síochána a special traffic corps who were formed some years ago with a unit in every Garda Division, and who have special responsibility for accident prevention and traffic control. The corps have 339 members, consisting of one superintendent, five inspectors, 44 sergeants and 289 gardaí. The strength of the corps is kept under constant review and last year it was increased by almost 20 per cent. I do not consider that there would be any advantage to be gained by setting up a separate traffic police force, as suggested by the Deputy.
An important aspect of road traffic management in the larger cities and towns is the enforcement of parking regulations. In Dublin, the city council notified my Department at the beginning of March that they had decided not to establish their own traffic warden service under the provisions of the Local Authorities (Traffic Wardens) Act, 1975, and that responsibility for the existing traffic warden service, which they had been operating on an agency basis, should be handed back to the Garda. Consequent on this decision by Dublin Corporation, arrangements have been made for the Garda to give greater attention to the improvement of traffic flow in the city, with particular emphasis on clearway enforcement. Garda activity in relation to traffic law enforcement in the city has been intensified since 30 April and there has been a substantial increase in the Garda resources being deployed on traffic duties. Approximately 40 extra gardaí have been assigned full time to traffic law enforcement in the city and 35 more have been assigned to the duty on a part-time basis. Moreover, the Garda authorities hope shortly to be recruiting about 50 part-time traffic wardens to assist the Garda in the general enforcement of parking regulations in the city, including the enforcement of the meter parking rules.