Garda traffic corps plan out today

[alz]

23 November 2004 10:20
The Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, is due to outline plans this afternoon for a garda traffic corps which would be fully operational within three years.

Under the proposal, it is expected that over 1,000 officers would be deployed on full-time traffic duties nationwide.

The traffic corps will be headed up Chief Superintendent John Farrelly.



Around 600 gardaí will be diverted from the existing traffic units and an extra 500 will come from the new recruitment plan.

Officers will concentrate exclusively on policing traffic. They will only deal with other crimes if they come across them during their traffic duties.

They will drive a separate fleet of clearly marked patrol cars, and will be backed up by unmarked vehicles.

332 people have died on Irish roads so far this year, 22 more than last year.

Drink driving and speeding will be specifically targeted by the new traffic corps.

www.rte.ie