Bombshell reports shows some ‘unproductive' gardai on road duties ‘unconcerned with doing effective job' amid fury
SOME gardai tasked with road policing duties are 'unproductive' and 'unconcerned with doing an effective and professional job', a damning report found.
The independent review of Roads Policing found that while a majority of Garda members involved in the work were productive and professional, there were major issues with poor productivity and behaviour among a 'noticeable' minority.
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Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said the report makes for 'stark reading'
Credit: Garrett White/PA Wire
The Crowe Report said members who were 'disinterested' in the job were able to 'get away with such behaviour' to the 'frustration' of their colleagues, supervisors and managers.
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The review by consultancy firm Crowe was commissioned by the Garda amid an increased focus on road safety in Ireland in recent years.
The Government recently introduced new speed laws, and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has mandated that frontline gardaí dedicate 30 minutes of road policing duties per shift.
The review assessed the effectiveness of the Garda's Roads Policing Units (RPUs). Its findings are based on visits to RPUs within six Garda divisions in Ireland.
In response, outgoing Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said the report makes for 'stark reading'.
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Harris said that the findings of the report were 'shocking and disturbing, particularly given the importance of this work in saving lives and preventing life-altering injures".
He added: 'While they found the majority of roads policing gardai were professional, dedicated and productive, they also met a significant cohort of officers who are disinterested, have a poor work ethic and deliberately ignored offences.
'Any members of An Garda Siochana – either Garda or supervisor – failing to perform their duties is a breach of trust with the public who depend on us to keep them safe.'
AGSI President Declan Higgins said: 'The Crowe Report is a hard-hitting wake-up call for An Garda Siochana, but will Garda management see the wood from the trees?
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'In pursuing strategic transformation, An Garda Siochana under Commissioner Harris' leadership, has lost focus on the realities of on-the-ground operational policing.
Fatal crashes on Irish roads continue to remain a problem as warning issued
'The Crowe report shows that the Garda Roads Policing Units have a solid, effective core which is deserving of support and praise.
'However, it also highlights that there is a small minority that are demotivated and clearly demoralised.
'DEMORALISATION'
'This demoralisation within An Garda Siochana has been ignored by Garda management and overseeing agencies for far too long.'
Sinn Fein's Matt Carthy described the findings as 'deeply disturbing' and added: 'It is something that has to be addressed and can only be done so when the Minister for Justice gets to grip with the recruitment retention crisis in An Garda Siochana, which saw a net increase of a mere seven members in the first five months of 2025
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'We cannot accept anything less than the highest level of professionalism from An Garda Siochana in terms of the policing of our roads.'
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