213. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will engage with the Minister for Justice; Home Affairs and Migration and An Garda Síochána on the urgent strengthening of dedicated roads policing units; whether roads policing should operate within a dedicated command structure; and whether Garda allocations should better reflect factors such as the scale and length of the road network in each county. [63673/26]

As the Deputy will be aware, matters relating to the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including the allocation and deployment of Garda personnel and resources, the organisation of roads policing units, and internal command structures, are matters in the first instance for the Garda Commissioner under section 33 of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024. The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration is the lead Government Department in respect of An Garda Síochána.

Accordingly, decisions on strengthening dedicated roads policing units, the appropriate command structure for roads policing, and the basis on which Garda allocations are determined, including any consideration of the scale or length of county road networks, are matters for the Garda Commissioner and the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.

Road safety is, however, a key priority for my Department, and I continue to engage with the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and with An Garda Síochána on road safety matters through established structures and bilateral engagement, with a focus on co-ordinated policy, legislation, communications and enforcement.

My Department centrally co-ordinates Phase 2 of the Government’s Road Safety Strategy Action Plan. Delivery of the Plan requires close collaboration among all road safety partners, including An Garda Síochána, and is overseen by the Road Safety Leadership Group, which I chair. The Group is attended by the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and the Assistant Commissioner in An Garda Síochána with responsibility for road safety.

I also met on 28 August with officials from the Department for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and the Assistant Commissioner with responsibility for Roads Policing and Community Engagement to discuss current road safety challenges and priorities.

Following publication of the independent Crowe review into An Garda Síochána’s roads policing function, I met with the Garda Commissioner to discuss its findings. I am informed that, as lead Department, the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration is continuing to engage with Garda management in relation to the matters arising from that review.

While the implementation of recommendations relating to Garda organisation, deployment and roads policing structures is a matter for Garda management and the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, my Department will continue to engage with relevant partners to support improved road safety outcomes.