Calls for immediate action as Donegal faces a traffic policing crisis

Serious concerns have been raised about road safety across County Donegal, with calls for urgent action to address what has been described as a critical shortage of traffic Gardaí.

Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, a member of the European Parliament’s Transport Committee, has warned that Ireland risks falling behind EU road safety standards due to insufficient policing on the roads. 

New figures obtained under Freedom of Information reveal that there are currently just 649 Gardaí assigned to roads policing nationwide, down significantly from 1,046 in 2009.

In Donegal, the situation is particularly stark. The county has only 22 Gardaí dedicated specifically to traffic enforcement, a figure Ní Mhurchú says is dangerously low given the region’s large rural road network and increasing traffic volumes, especially during peak holiday periods.

The information released by Cynthia Ní Mhurchú comes as national road fatality figures continue to climb. As of April 2nd, 42 people have lost their lives on Irish roads, three more than the same time last year, raising fears that this year could see a further deterioration in road safety.

The Ireland South MEP has written to the Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan, urging immediate intervention, including a fast-tracked recruitment campaign to increase the number of roads policing Gardaí to at least 1,000 by 2030.

The Fianna Fáil MEP is also calling for a range of tougher enforcement measures aimed at improving driver behaviour. 

These include expanding the use of speed cameras across rural routes, introducing technology to detect mobile phone use and seatbelt violations, and increasing penalties for dangerous driving. Among her proposals are higher fines for speeding and mobile phone offences, along with increased penalty points.

Ms Ní Mhurchú has further suggested that repeat offenders should face mandatory re-education programmes, and that consideration be given to requiring drivers with multiple offences to re-sit their driving tests.

Across the county, the figures have sparked concern among residents and road safety advocates, particularly given Donegal’s mix of narrow rural roads and growing tourist traffic. With fewer Gardaí available to patrol and enforce traffic laws, there are fears that risky driving behaviour may go unchecked during the busy summer months.

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Ms Ní Mhurchú also highlighted the need for broader systemic reform, including the digitisation of court processes and improved data sharing between An Garda Síochána and the Courts Service. Such measures, she argues, would reduce the administrative burden on Gardaí and allow more officers to remain on active duty.