The figures were released to Aontú Leader Peadar Tóibín.
The number of road traffic Gardaí in the State is at the lowest it has been in ten years, according to new figures, released to Aontú leader and Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín.
The number of road traffic Gardaí in Kildare has dropped 28% over the same period, from 36 in 2014 to 26 in 2023.
Deputy Tóibín commented: “These are incredible figures. The number of Gardaí policing our roads is now lower than at any stage than the last 14 years.
"It has dropped a colossal 36% [nationally]. It’s also lower now than it was after the worst of the austerity years, after Templemore was closed.
“This downward trend is not stopping. The number of Gardaí employed in policing our roads has been falling each month of this year. Ireland has witnessed a significant increase in the number of road deaths.
"All of us have been stopped in our tracks over the last few month by the heart breaking loss of life that has visited so many families.
"There is a direct correlation between the fall in the number of Gardaí splicing the roads and the increase in road deaths. Unfortunately driver behaviour changes when they know that they are not going to be caught.
"This is true for drink driving, speeding, dangerous driving etc. It’s true for crime also. We have seen a massive spike in the number of violent and serious crime and this is due in part to the increase in crime”.
“Ireland has one of the lowest number of Gardaí in the EU, Recruitment in Templemore has collapsed. The inability of the government to recruit Garda is leading to an increase in loss of life.
"In response to the heart-breaking loss of life the government stated that they were going to reduce speed limits right across the country.
"While there is no doubt that there is merit to lowering the speed limits on certain roads, if you have no Gardaí to police the roads it’s not going to make a difference. It’s not going to save lives”, concluded Tóibín.
The table below sets out the number of Garda members assigned to roads policing duty by Division from the end of December 2014 up to the end of December 2022, and at the end of August 2023.
|
Roads Policing by Division |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
Aug 2023 |
|
D.M.R. EAST |
15 |
14 |
9 |
9 |
13 |
12 |
11 |
8 |
5 |
5 |
|
D.M.R. NORTH |
17 |
17 |
13 |
14 |
14 |
18 |
17 |
17 |
14 |
12 |
|
D.M.R. NORTH CENTRAL |
18 |
18 |
17 |
18 |
17 |
23 |
22 |
21 |
17 |
17 |
|
D.M.R. SOUTH |
12 |
12 |
12 |
10 |
12 |
14 |
12 |
11 |
10 |
10 |
|
D.M.R. SOUTH CENTRAL |
17 |
16 |
11 |
7 |
11 |
16 |
15 |
15 |
13 |
13 |
|
D.M.R. WEST |
19 |
16 |
13 |
12 |
15 |
20 |
19 |
18 |
13 |
11 |
|
D.M.R. TRAFFIC/ROADS POLICING |
106 |
118 |
107 |
101 |
110 |
120 |
106 |
104 |
92 |
84 |
|
KILDARE |
36 |
34 |
25 |
24 |
26 |
22 |
29 |
30 |
28 |
26 |
|
LAOIS / OFFALY |
25 |
25 |
22 |
19 |
24 |
25 |
24 |
29 |
26 |
24 |
|
MEATH |
19 |
16 |
17 |
14 |
18 |
15 |
18 |
19 |
18 |
18 |
|
WESTMEATH |
23 |
20 |
28 |
18 |
18 |
17 |
18 |
18 |
19 |
18 |
|
WICKLOW |
20 |
21 |
17 |
16 |
21 |
21 |
21 |
19 |
20 |
19 |
|
CAVAN / MONAGHAN |
24 |
25 |
25 |
18 |
24 |
22 |
18 |
18 |
16 |
16 |
|
DONEGAL |
31 |
27 |
20 |
20 |
21 |
22 |
22 |
31 |
28 |
27 |
|
LOUTH |
17 |
16 |
14 |
14 |
20 |
20 |
25 |
25 |
25 |
23 |
|
SLIGO / LEITRIM |
24 |
24 |
23 |
23 |
23 |
23 |
23 |
23 |
18 |
17 |
|
KILKENNY/CARLOW |
31 |
28 |
26 |
26 |
22 |
23 |
22 |
24 |
25 |
23 |
|
TIPPERARY |
23 |
21 |
21 |
21 |
25 |
26 |
30 |
29 |
26 |
25 |
|
WATERFORD |
18 |
14 |
14 |
13 |
13 |
10 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
17 |
|
WEXFORD |
15 |
14 |
15 |
13 |
15 |
20 |
23 |
23 |
23 |
22 |
|
CORK CITY |
38 |
36 |
39 |
37 |
35 |
31 |
34 |
35 |
30 |
32 |
|
CORK NORTH |
34 |
33 |
33 |
33 |
29 |
28 |
26 |
23 |
21 |
21 |
|
CORK WEST |
22 |
18 |
22 |
21 |
24 |
23 |
23 |
22 |
22 |
20 |
|
KERRY |
20 |
18 |
17 |
18 |
21 |
19 |
24 |
22 |
26 |
24 |
|
LIMERICK |
29 |
26 |
23 |
24 |
32 |
34 |
31 |
32 |
36 |
34 |
|
CLARE |
16 |
18 |
17 |
15 |
18 |
20 |
18 |
18 |
19 |
18 |
|
GALWAY |
41 |
41 |
39 |
37 |
37 |
37 |
39 |
38 |
40 |
40 |
|
MAYO |
11 |
11 |
11 |
11 |
24 |
24 |
26 |
26 |
24 |
24 |
|
ROSCOMMON / LONGFORD |
21 |
19 |
19 |
17 |
20 |
18 |
21 |
21 |
20 |
19 |
|
TOTAL |
742 |
716 |
669 |
623 |
702 |
723 |
733 |
736 |
692 |
659 |
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