Budget cuts are the prime suspect according to a story in thejournal.ie this morning which reports that:
All of the Garda escort motorcycles in the country were taken off-road for July and August, while local traffic units covered escorts.
The story goes on to report that:
Overall numbers of garda vehicles have been decreasing in the last number of years from 2,677 in 2011 to 2,473 in June 2013.
Moreover, we learn from the journal.ie that the number of Garda motorcycles has fallen by almost one third, dropping from 238 in 2009 down to 170 in March of this year. This has, without doubt, a direct impact on the ability of the Gardai to counter not only serious crime but also to enforce road traffic legislation, one area where motorcycles can maximise their advantages in terms of maneuverability in urban traffic.
Image credit: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland & thejournal.ie
The journal.ie article goes on to suggest that the bikes are being kept off the road as they approach their maximum allowed mileage in order to delay their replacement even though maintenance costs can exceed replacement costs in some cases.
MAG Ireland has been fortunate enough to have the expert assistance of a Garda escort on many occasions in the past, most recently during our “No Con Test” demo last year. The excellent and entirely voluntary BikeSafe initiative was also undertaken by the dedicated members of An Garda Siochana based at Dublin Castle. We sincerely hope that those responsible for undermining the capacity of the Gardai are held publicly to account.
Source: http://www.thejournal.ie/garda-escort-bike-1086899-Sep2013/