Group urges action on patrol cars

The head of the independently appointed Garda Inspectorate has said the Government is using a plaster to cover up the haemorrhaging of patrol cars on the country’s roads and needs to do more to address the problem.

Chief Inspector Robert K Olson, who took over as boss of the watchdog last June, warned that while new patrol cars were coming on-stream, there may not be enough to keep pace and it is likely this problem won’t be rectified until the economy picks up.

Mr Olson — who has held several senior policing posts in the US — said there would be “long-term issues” with the Garda fleet if further action wasn’t taken.