Campaigns need garda enforcement

It is rather ironic that the Garda Policing Plan 2005 should be published on the last day of the Christmas road safety campaign, during which, it will probably be shown, there was a 50% increase in road deaths over the last campaign.

Announcing campaigns can be a cosmetic and futile exercise if less than the fullest effort is effected to make them work.

Otherwise, they will only achieve limited results. Campaigns, be they for public health or road safety, anti-drink or drugs, have a habit of petering out and leaving little impact on those at whom they were targeted.