Vol. 467 No. 2
134 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Justice the plans, if any, she has for the establishment of a traffic police force which would be separate from the gardaí and which would release the gardaí for other duties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12838/96]
I have no plans to set up a traffic police force which would be separate from the Garda. There is within the Garda Síochána a special traffic corps with a unit in every Garda division, which has special responsibility in relation to the enforcement of the Road Traffic Acts. The gardaí assigned to this corps do not deal solely with traffic related matters. Although their primary responsibility is accident prevention and traffic control, members of the traffic corps must also deal with any other police duties to which they may be assigned or which come their way. I am satisfied that the present traffic corps arrangements are best suited to the needs of the community.
