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After a wrong‑way crash on the M9 killed five teenagers, the Gardaí faced criticism for insufficient pursuit training, policy ambiguity and cultural risk aversion. The Oireachtas transport committee heard testimonies from Garda College, AGSI and GRA, revealing that only a handful of officers will receive training before 2026 and that comprehensive policy guidance is lacking. The incident highlighted the need for a robust pursuit training programme, better risk culture and clearer policy to prevent future tragedies.
The recent tragedy that unfolded on Ireland's M9 motorway in early August has thrust the issue of Garda pursuit training into the national spotlight. Five teenage passengers were killed in a wrong‑way crash involving a BMW as the vehicle attempted to escape police pursuit.
While the Gardaí in pursuit did not follow the vehicle into contraflow driving, the incident exposed significant gaps in the force's capacity to conduct high‑risk pursuits on motorways. The incident prompted a formal inquiry in the Oireachtas transport committee, where the leadership of the Garda College and two Garda unions - the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) and the Garda Representative Association (GRA) - presented their positions on the state of pursuit training and policy.
Chief Superintendent Brian Sugrue, Director of Training at the Garda College, acknowledged that only a handful of officers would receive pursuit training before the end of this year. According to Sugrue, "a very small" number of frontline Gardaí - possibly only six - would undertake the course by the year's end, with wider roll‑out planned for 2027. He added that about forty instructors would be trained to conduct pursuit drills, with the first four expected to be ready by November.
Despite these figures, Sugrue noted that the SDR - the third phase of the program - would likely complete by year's end, and that the Garda force is "seeking further opportunities" to train additional driving instructors. AGSI's General Secretary, Ronan Clogher, expressed scepticism about the pace of training. He told the committee that the small number of instructors trained thus far suggested it would be unrealistic for a large cohort of frontline officers to be ready until 2028 or 2029.
Clogher emphasized that the force's official pursuit policy "gives absolutely no direction on how to conduct a pursuit" and that the policy merely instructs Gardaí to pursue vehicles where it is safe. He highlighted that pursuit activity is, by its nature, unsafe, and reminded committee members that some UK forces choose not to pursue contraflow drivers on motorways. His comments underscored a cultural risk‑aversion within the Garda that impedes the development of a robust pursuit capability.
The GRA's general secretary, Ronan Slevin, presented a parallel set of concerns. Slevin urged the committee to ban the posting of videos that showcase wrong‑way driving, and called for increased indemnity and protections for officers who conduct pursuits. He also advocated for a distinct driving licence for Garda work, separate from a private licence, to clarify responsibilities and liability. The tragedy on the M9, in which five teens lost their lives, served as a catalyst for this discussion.
The incident drew a comparison to similar situations in the UK, where the Garda have already collaborated with British police forces in Devon and Cornwall to introduce pursuit training during the summer. The partnership was a temporary solution to address an urgent skills gap.
However, the lack of an adequate domestic training infrastructure means that many Garda officers will remain unprepared to handle high‑speed chases, leaving communities exposed to the very dangers that pursuit training aims to mitigate. Wider political implications also emerged during the committee hearing. Labour Party TD Alan Kelly labeled the current pursuit policy as "laughable" given that none of the officers had received proper training. The TD's comments reflect growing public frustration and call for immediate reform.
The committee's future actions will likely involve developing comprehensive pursuit policies, allocating resources for training, and revisiting the cultural attitudes that currently hinder risk‑calibrated decision‑making within the Garda. In sum, the M9 crash has become a high‑profile case study illustrating the urgent need for the Gardaí to enhance their pursuit training, align policy with practice, and overhaul institutional risk attitudes.
The committee's work moving forward will determine how effectively the Garda can transform its pursuit readiness in the coming years, ensuring officer safety and protecting the public from similar tragedies
Garda Pursuit Training M9 Motorway Crash AGSI Political Response Road Safety
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