THE CHAIRMAN of the joint policing committee in Limerick, Fine Gael councillor Kevin Kiely, has urged gardaí to be lenient with what he called borderline cases of breaking the speed limits on the busy roads from the city to the Irish Open Golf event at Adare.
Mr Kiely criticised gardaí for their “excessive” presence in Adare during the open at the weekend and has called on the force to adopt “more common sense” in its policing. He said he believed that four gardaí “were hiding in bushes, trying to catch people” for speeding in Adare, while it is believed that no gardaí were patrolling estates in Moyross on the same days.
Mr Kiely said he will be raising these issues with Chief Supt Willie Keane, even though he said he has been “caught in a position” given his role on the policing committee, which is also attended by Chief Supt Keane. “There were two gardaí on either side of the dual carriageway, trying to catch people for speeding. For the day that was in it there should have been a certain amount of flexibility.”
He said he was contacted by a number of people who may have “borderline cases” and fear they will accrue penalty points. “I would like to appeal to the gardaí to be lenient for the day that was in it. Millions [of euro] was brought into the local economy and it was a very successful event. The traffic arrangement went very well and I have to compliment the gardaí on that.”
Mr Kiely said he will also be questioning why gardaí were not present in Moyross over the weekend, which he said was one of the main recommendations of John Fitzgerald’s report.
Insp Pat Connolly, head of the traffic corps at Henry Street Garda station, said he had been informed that the event ran smoothly, especially given attendance figures of over 64,000. “There were a number of drink drivers and a number of speeding cases,” he said.