Every garda to get new radio system within two years

It will be two years before every garda in the country has a long-awaited and adequate radio system, it emerged today.

Even though a modern digital system was promised a decade ago and the Garda Inspectorate said it should be a top priority, the €100m system is only going on trial now.

And when that ends in July, Tánaiste and Minister for Justice Michael McDowell revealed it will be another two years before officers in every station are supplied - 12 years since it was first mooted.

The Garda Representative Association, who have been calling for the investment for a decade, offered a guarded welcome.

“This radio system has been promised for years, but one has to be positive that at long last the system is coming on stream,” GRA president PJ Stone said.

“Belatedly we welcome the fact that we are now going to get a system that will be state-of-the-art. The delay unfortunately is something that we regret but there is not a lot we can do about it. We are just going to have to unfortunately bear with this.”

Mr Stone said he hoped gardaí would be allowed to use the old radio network as the system goes digital in order to ensure all officers can stay in contact on the ground.

In its first report the head of the Garda Inspectorate Kathleen O’Toole bemoaned the lack of an adequate digital radio system, claiming the current radio is inadequate and outdated.

And she said the much-promised new system should be a top priority.

Announcing the trial scheme and proposed national roll out, Mr McDowell said it was a landmark day and one of major importance for the Force.

“It provides the Force with secure communications technology which is effective, resilient and reliable,” he said.

“The Government and I have consistently given our commitment that An Garda Síochána will receive every support to enable them to operate effectively as a modern police force including the provision of information and communications technology to place them on a par with – or ahead of – the best equipped police forces in the world.

“Today marks yet another significant landmark in delivering on that promise.”

Fine Gael justice spokesman Jim O’Keeffe said the launch was a cynical pre-election publicity stunt.

“The truth is that Michael McDowell is only taking action now because he knows his job is on the line after five wasted years, and is desperately embarking on projects he should have done years ago,” Mr O’Keefe said.

The system would bring An Garda Síochána into line with other European police forces and allow gardaí to link up with the Police Service of Northern Ireland in cross-border investigations.

It will also allow direct communication between the country’s blue light services as they are known with gardaí able to liaise with fire crews, marine rescue, ambulance and other emergency services around the country.

The existing radio system is 23 years-old and it is understood only the traffic corps use it day-to-day, because of the ease with which communications can be monitored by criminals.

There are also areas of the state with poor or no coverage and the network is proving extremely costly to maintain.

The GRA has claimed gardaí had been promised a replacement since before the turn of the millennium.

When in place, however, the digital radio will put gardaí on a par with other European police forces.

Criminals will no longer be able to eavesdrop, intercept or scan communications, as they can with the old analogue system.

Digital handsets will be fitted with "single push" buttons to transmit a signal to the dispatcher in the event of an emergency and the pinpoint location of an officer in difficulty can be then be found.

Unlike analogue, digital radio conversations can be maintained over varied terrain and long distances with the new service offering a minimum of 96% handheld radio coverage in any 1 km sq of the country with most areas having over 99% coverage.

It also has off-shore and air coverage available to the helicopter and other aircraft units for rescue operations.

It will be fully integrated allowing digital radio terminals to access mobile and landline telephones.

Data can be transmitted as well as voice allowing officers access to databases to make available photographs and vehicle registration details.

Tetra Ireland has been selected as the preferred bidder.