Senator Malcolm Byrne has said that we need to discuss what form an all island police force would take in the event of Irish unity. He raised the issue in the Seanad today where he called for a debate on the future of policing as part of a programme to mark the Centenary of the founding of An Garda Síochána in February.
Senator Byrne said, “The Gardaí have given incredible service over a century, many members have sacrificed their own lives. We need to mark their achievements but also look to how policing and security will be addressed on this island in the future. We also need to consider in the event of new constitutional arrangements on this island, how we can create a new police force.”
Senator Byrne added “The Gardaí are increasingly dealing with challenges relating to cybersecurity, cybercrime and online harms. We need to have a force equipped to operate effectively in the digital space.”