THE biggest danger facing the public on a daily basis is when they use the roads network whether they be drivers, passengers, pedestrians or cyclists, Galway’s most senior Garda has advised this week.

Chief Superintendent, Gerard Roche, told the Connacht Tribune that road safety and driver behaviour would remain at the top of the priority list for Gardai over the coming year.

“Thankfully, over the past year, we’ve had a significant reduction in road fatalities across the county, as compared to 2023, but the reality is, that one death on our roads is one death too many.

“If drivers slowed down, didn’t overtake recklessly, didn’t drive under the influence of drink or drugs, and avoided distractions such as mobile phones, without any doubt, we would have a major reduction in serious road injuries and fatalities,” said Gerard Roche.

He added that nationally some of the trends to emerge over recent years as regards serious road incidents was that the 4pm to 8pm evening period was now emerging as a high-risk time on the roads while more people in the 50-plus age group were also losing their lives.

“Another factor that we cannot overlook is the role that tiredness and fatigue have in terms  of road collisions. Lack of sleep and being over-tired can undoubtedly lead to lapses in concentration, and we as all know, an accident can happen in a second or split-second,” said the Chief Superintendent.

As regards the use and sale of illegal drugs, Chief Supt. Roche said that cocaine was by far and way the most widely used substance socially and at parties.

“Once the market is there for drugs like cocaine and cannabis there will be criminal elements who will feed into this and the main driver of organised crime and various feuds is invariably the illegal drugs business.

“We do have increased Garda resources across the county in our Divisional Drugs Unit in Galway city, Loughrea, Ballinasloe, Tuam and Oughterard to deal with the sale and supply of illegal drugs and over the past year, we’ve had a whole series of seizures and prosecutions,” he said.

Problems with heroin use was generally confined to quite a small number of addicts who were getting specialist addiction treatments, he said. “In Galway though, cocaine is by far and away the main drug of choice: those who purchase it are helping to fund the gangs and organised crime groups who supply it,” he said.

Gerard Roche said that over the past year while burglaries had been well down in Galway there was still an ongoing security issues with travelling gangs who would tend to do a blitz on an area and then leave almost immediately after.

“Galway is a lot more accessible in terms of motorway links but there have been successes over recent weeks and months in terms of organised crime gang members who have been involved in these type of robberies.”

He said that another challenge being faced by the public was in relation to sophisticated online scams and he strongly advised people to check out thoroughly any online transactions or purchases that they were carrying out.

“This scams are becoming increasingly realistic, for example in terms of a family member having lost their phone and looking for money to tide them over. Always ask the question: is this a scam,” he advised.

The Chief Superintendent has also advised the public that Gardaí in Galway have a specialist Divisional Protective Services Unit specially trained to deal with all aspects of sexual crime, domestic abuse, child protection, online child exploitation and the management of sex offenders.

“I suppose that as we look forward to a new year in 2025, the guiding principle of An Garda Síochána is to keep people safe.

“Galway is a big county with a major urban centre and our links with local communities and organisations are absolutely vital to us.

“The public are our ears and eyes and the bottom line is that if you have any security or safety concerns – whether it be in your home, on the roads, or anywhere else –  make contact with the Gardaí. That’s our job and we urge people to keep in touch with us if they’re worried over something,” Gerard Roche advised.

Pictured: Priorities…Chief Supt Gerard Roche.