New Zealand police fewer and more visible

NOW that Justice Minister Michael McDowell aims to introduce international best practice in relation to policing in Ireland perhaps he should look to New Zealand as a role model.

New Zealand has a population almost exactly the same as that of the Irish Republic - just short of four million - and a road system on almost the same scale - 92,000 kilometres - but it has a landmass almost four times that of Ireland.

I have recently returned from a 10-week visit to that country during which time I drove about 8,000km on both North and South Islands.