Helen McEntee wants more average speed cameras to tackle rising road deaths

Helen McEntee said that the more gardaí that can be recruited, the more can go to individual units, including roads policing. Photo: Sam Boal / © RollingNews.ie

More average speed cameras are needed across the country to help tackle the escalation in road deaths, according to the Minister for Justice.

Up to yesterday morning, there were 177 people killed on Irish roads so far this year—28 more people than last year. Figures obtained and released by the PARC road safety group reveal that the number of gardaí in roads policing units has fallen from 1,011 in 2010 to 653 in October this year.

At the attestation ceremony for 151 new gardaí at the Garda Training College in Templemore on Friday, Justice Minister Helen McEntee acknowledged that it has been a “really difficult year on our roads”.

She said that the more gardaí that can be recruited, the more can go to individual units, including roads policing. She said that her department has been working with gardaí, the Department of Transport, the Road Safety Authority and other stakeholders on how to improve road safety.

She acknowledged a need for more roads policing unit personnel but said: “We also need to be focused more on our technology as well—the fact that we only have two average speed cameras across the country. 

"There is more that we can be doing there and we are certainly looking at that as well as making sure that we get back to what has been hugely effective in the past and that has been educational awareness ad campaigns.” 

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Meanwhile, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris pledged to continue international co-operation in targeting the Kinahan organised crime group. It comes after the extradition earlier this week of suspected crime gang leader Liam Byrne from Spain to the UK to face trial for alleged firearms offences.

Mr Byrne was arrested in June while eating in a restaurant in Mallorca.

Mr Harris said: “What we seek to do is bring individuals to justice and then allow the criminal justice system to work through its processes.” 

He said it is not necessary for that to happen in Ireland however. "If we can work well with international colleagues, then we will assist them,” he said.