GARDAÍ ARE TO receive pursuit training following the fatal crash on the M9 over the weekend, Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan has confirmed. 

Speaking to reporters in Dublin this afternoon, O’Callaghan also said a “separate offence” will be considered for individuals who drive the wrong way down a motorway. 

His comments come in response to the death of five teenage boys yesterday morning after the car they were travelling in, which was being driven the wrong direction on the M9 motorway, collided with another.

The BMW collided with a Hyundai carrying three women and a 7-year-old boy. All those travelling in the Hyundai were taken to hospital and are in conditions ranging from serious to critical.

It is the second incident in a week involving a car being driven the wrong way down an Irish motorway.

The justice minister said today that the gardaí will be given “whatever resources they require from government in order to respond to this threat to public safety”.

“Yesterday we saw outrageously dangerous criminal behaviour by five teenagers that resulted in them losing their own lives and also inflicting serious injuries on a family that were lawfully using the M9,” O’Callaghan said.

“I want to condemn in the strongest possible terms that reckless criminal behaviour. I also want to emphasise that anyone who makes a decision to drive a vehicle deliberately the wrong way down a motorway is engaged in lethally dangerous behaviour, and it must stop.”

In relation to pursuit training for gardaí, O’Callaghan said Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly confirmed to him that the training will begin for the first time this year. 

It comes after the Garda Representative Association called for “proper training” following the incident at the weekend.

Earlier this year, Kelly told an Oireachtas Committee that An Garda Síochána was not in a position to provide such training as resources were tied up with policing the EU Presidency, which is being held in Ireland from July to December this year. 

Social media companies need to ‘step up to mark’

In addition to the garda training and the possible introduction of a new offence, the justice minister called out social media companies for allowing videos showing illegal behaviour to be shared online. 

“This is an issue that’s not unique to Ireland. This is happening in other countries, young men stealing cars, driving dangerously on the roads, and videoing it for the purpose of social media postings,” he said.

He said the social media firms “emphasise in their codes of practice that they will not allow any postings that glorify criminal behaviour” but that “regrettably, that hasn’t been happening.”

“Social media companies need to step up to the mark as well in respect of their own responsibilities,” he said.  

Parental responsibility

O’Callaghan also asked, “where are the parents” in relation to this issue. 

He said it is a difficult time at present for the families of the five deceased teenagers, but that “that’s an issue that will have to be looked at in due course.”

“But I’m conscious as well that it can be challenging and difficult for parents because of the parents own circumstances or because of the behaviour of the individual son that may be just extremely difficult to control,” he said, adding that society as a whole also has a responsibility.

“But I don’t know what gets into the mind of people who are teenagers who decide that they should drive the wrong way down a motorway.

“Like, it is outrageously reckless, lethal, dangerous behaviour, and just basic common sense should make you realise that you’re putting yourselves at serious risk, let alone other [road] users,” O’Callaghan said. 

With reporting from Sophie Finn