GARDA COMMISSIONER Martin Callinan has strongly suggested that the practice of Ministers being driven around by Garda drivers is about to end.
He said the current arrangements, under which 54 armed detectives double as drivers and bodyguards for Ministers and a handful of senior State officials, were under examination.
“We are certainly doing some work in that area at the moment,” he said when asked if the arrangements were under review.
“There is a security issue with all of these problems that present themselves from time to time. We will certainly take a very close look at the security situation and the implications for security in various ministries.”
Mr Callinan was speaking to journalists at a passing-out ceremony in the Garda College, Templemore, Co Tipperary.
His comments come just months after the previous Garda commissioner, Fachtna Murphy, told senior officers he would be continuing with providing Ministers and officials such as the DPP with armed Garda drivers.
There has been pressure from Opposition parties to bring the arrangements, which have cost almost €12 million over the past two years, to an end.
However, last October former minister for health Mary Harney was daubed with paint by a protester. It was decided by senior Garda officers that, given the public’s level of anger at the Government, withdrawing the Garda driver-bodyguards at this time would be unwise.
A source told The Irish Timesthat the holders of the office of Taoiseach and Minister for Justice would probably continue to be allotted full-time Garda drivers. However, it would then be left to officials in other departments to make their own arrangements for their Minister's transport.
“Some kind of pooling system may well operate, with a much smaller number of gardaí acting as drivers and personal security officers for ministers.”
Mr Callinan welcomed figures published in yesterday's Irish Timesthat revealed the number of people caught drink-driving at Garda checkpoints last year had fallen by 40 per cent despite the number of breath tests having increased by 10 per cent. "It may very well be the case, and we hope it is, that people are finally getting the message and they realise that drinking and driving is a very, very serious business."
Mr Callinan presided over yesterday’s ceremony in Templemore at which 88 men and 38 women graduated.
A number of medals were presented to members of the class. The Commissioner’s Medal, which is presented to the student with the best academic results, went to Garda Eamon Honan, who is from Dublin and will be based at Fitzgibbon Street Garda station. The Gary Sheehan Medal, presented to the best all-round student, went to Garda Neasa Ní Chearnaigh, who is from Gweedore, Co Donegal, but is based at Sligo Garda station.
The Templemore Town Council Medal, for outstanding achievement in the area of social science, was presented to Darragh Lynch, from Stillorgan, Dublin, who is based in Balbriggan.