Senior Garda officers and colleagues of Garda Kevin Flatley, serving and retired, attended a prayer service at Dublin Castle this evening to remember and reflect on the life of another garda who lost his life in the line of duty.
Garda Flatley, a 49-year-old married father-of-two, was knocked down by a motorcycle while he was operating a speed checkpoint yesterday afternoon in north Dublin.
He was knocked down and killed instantly when he tried to flag down a high-powered Yamaha 1000 motorcycle.
The motorbike travelled over 300m after the fatal collision, across the median divide to the other side of the road before coming to a stop at a bus stop.
Gardaí said it is extremely fortunate it hit no other motorist or pedestrian.
The motorcyclist remains in a critical condition in Beaumont Hospital.
Forensic collision investigators from outside Dublin were called in to conduct an independent investigation.
Evidence from the speedgun and CCTV from the petrol station and dash-cam have been gathered.
The road has reopened with tributes left at the scene.
Kevin Flatley's car remained parked in Dublin Castle this morning where he left it when he arrived at Roads Policing for work yesterday morning.
Commissioner calls for road safety 'reset'
Yesterday, Mr Harris said there will be a review of road safety following the death of Garda Flatley.
Commissioner Harris called for a "reset" of the approach to road safety following recent deaths on the roads, particularly in relation to speeding, not wearing seatbelts, and distracted and drink-driving.
Watch: Commissioner Drew Harris says 'a reset and rethink' needed now on road safety approach
Assistant Commissioner for Dublin Metropolitan Region Paul Cleary said he would not pre-empt the outcome of any inquiry but stated that there had been 60 fatalities on the roads already this year.
"We really need to examine our behaviour while driving," he said.
"Sixty fatalities this year to date. And if you look at our behaviour whilst driving, you know, this year to date, over 18,000 incidents of speed, 8,825 incidents of people having a mobile phone, 2,159 incidents of people not wearing a seat belt, and 2,879 incidents of people driving under the influence of an intoxicant.
"So we really need to change our behaviour in relation to road safety."
The Assistant Commissioner said a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding Garda Flatley's death is under way, and made a fresh appeal for anyone with information or dash cam footage to come forward.
He urged anyone who may have seen the motorbike in the lead up to the incident on the R132 at around 12.50pm yesterday afternoon to contact gardaí.
"I have appointed a senior investigating officer and a family liaison officer, and the scene has been examined by a forensic collision investigator.
"And we've spoken to witnesses and collected CCTV footage, but I would like to reissue that appeal to any person who may have been on the R132 or in that area to come forward with any information they may have."
The nature of policing means it is never without a risk, he said, but they do everything they can to mitigate that risk.
Members of An Garda Síochána are devastated by the loss of their colleague and are providing support and assistance to each other, he added.
Assistant Commissioner Cleary said a book of condolence has been opened and they have initiated they welfare and peer supporters.
Kevin Flatley was a dedicated officer who was well regarded by his peers, he said.
Garda Flatley is being remembered as a dedicated, committed and valued Garda who lost his life in the line of duty.
Commissioner Harris said his death once again illustrates "the extraordinary dangers" facing gardaí, and called for "a reset" and "a rethink" of society's approach to road safety.
He said gardaí want to see "what is the cutting edge, the leading edge in terms of technology and tactics we need to deploy".
He also said there will be a review of roads policing and lessons will be learned because they want to police the roads as safely as possible.
However, the Commissioner pointed out that while this tragedy represents "the very hard edge" of roads policing, gardaí need to and will keep their enforcement efforts going.
Read more:
'An absolute gentleman' - tributes paid to Garda killed at checkpoint
Taoiseach 'very shocked' by death of garda at checkpoint
He also said the dangers that gardaí were facing was "extraordinary" and that "unbelievably" a second garda was hit by a motorcycle in Coolock yesterday in a separate incident and had his leg broken. One man was arrested.
A third garda was also injured on duty last week when he was hit by a car.
Gardaí also renewed their appeal for information and dash cam footage.
Watch: Books of condolence opened as people pay tribute to Garda Kevin Flatley
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The Commissioner said a number of people had come forward but they were still seeking information on the movements of the R1 Yamaha Motorcycle from around midday yesterday, in the hour before Garda Flatley was killed.
'Sacrifices and danger associated with policing'
Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan said Garda Flatley's death emphasises the sacrifices and dangers associated with policing in Ireland that is sometimes taken for granted.
"It's a tragedy that Garda Flatley paid the ultimate price yesterday whilst performing his duty."
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr O'Callaghan said people think it is a job, the same as any other, but it is not.
"It emphasises, I suppose, the sacrifices and the danger associated with policing in Ireland, sometimes we take it for granted. We think that it's a job which is the same as other jobs. It's not.
"Every day members of An Garda Síochána put themselves personally in danger by carrying out their duty on behalf of the people of Ireland. And it's a tragedy that Garda Flatley paid the ultimate price yesterday whilst performing his duty."
Mr O'Callaghan urged anyone with dash cam footage to come forward and extended his sympathies, and that of the Government, to Garda Flatley's family and members of An Garda Síochána.
"When Garda Flatley went out to work yesterday morning, he went out in the same way as every guard goes out to work, which is to keep the community safe, and he was doing that in his role within the roads policing unit. It was a terrible tragedy that he lost his life in the line of duty."
Mr O'Callaghan added that it has been "a particularly bad week" for injuries to gardaí on roads policing duty.
He said that as Minister for Justice, he will "implement whatever new measures are required in order to ensure that gardaí are kept as safe as possible during their roads policing".
