Garda Kevin Flatley was working overtime to help colleagues when he was hit by motorcycle at speed checkpoint

The 49-year-old father of two was hit as he recorded vehicles’ speeds on the side of the road on the R132 at Lanestown yesterday afternoon.

He had served as a garda for 26 years and had been with the Roads Policing Unit since 2018.

A devastated colleague of the officer told the Irish Independent that Gda Flatley was working an overtime shift at the time.

“He was not even due to be on duty on Sunday,” the heartbroken garda added.

Gardaí were alerted to the incident at Lanestown in Swords at 12.50pm yesterday and emergency services rushed to the scene.

Gda Flatley was discovered with fatal injuries and pronounced dead a short time later.

The driver of the Yamaha motorbike, aged in his 30s, was also seriously injured in the collision, and remains in a critical condition in Beaumont Hospital.

A private prayer service is being held at Dublin Castle this evening for serving and retired colleagues of Garda Kevin Flatley.

Colleagues of the garda who died after being struck by a motorcyclist on Sunday embraced in emotional scenes at Dublin Castle on Monday evening as they met ahead of the memorial service.

Those in attendance included colleagues both past and present from across Ireland who came to pay their respects, and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris.

Prayers were led by the Rev David Pierpoint and Father Joe Kennedy, both longstanding chaplains at An Garda Síochána.

The death of the married father of two, who had served for 26 years, was the 90th officer to die on duty since the creation of the force in 1922.

Gda Flatley is survived by his wife Una and his two daughters.

Meanwhile, it is understood that gardaí have spoken to a number of people who witnessed Sunday’s tragic incident as they try and establish the circumstances surrounding it.

Mr Harris said the investigation into the fatal incident was ongoing.

He said gardaí were keen for information on the movements of a Yamaha R1 1,000CC motorbike, a vehicle he described as a “large motorcycle” and appealed to anyone who saw the vehicle from noon onwards to contact gardaí.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said there is a need to ensure gardaí can carry out their duties in as safe an environment as possible in the aftermath of Gda Flatley’s death.

Speaking to The Pat Kenny Show on Newstalk this morning, Mr Martin said: “I think the Commissioner is correct in saying that there will have to be a reset or a complete re-look at this, we have an obligation to protect the members of An Garda Síochána as they carry out their duties, to do everything that we possibly can to ensure a safe environment,” he said.

“Technology will become more and more relevant here and it’s application is increasing all of the time, and no doubt the Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, and the Garda Commissioner and members of the force will examine and evaluate all of that but, of course, we have to remember that is of little consolation right now to the family of Kevin Flatley.”

He said Irish society “as a whole” needs to reflect on the incident, on road safety and “on the fundamentals in terms of keeping people safe on the roads”.

Mr Martin said it is “desperately upsetting and sad for everybody that Kevin Flatley has lost his life in this way”, adding: “We simply have to, in the fullness of time, reflect on that and make sure that we can create as safe an environment as we possibly can for members of An Garda Síochána as they endeavour to keep us safe.”

Meanwhile, a judge, legal practitioners and gardaí working in the Swords and Balbriggan areas have expressed their deep shock at the death of Garda Flatley, and have extended their sympathy to his family.

Garda Flatley was “at heart a community garda”, his colleagues said.

He was described as a dedicated and committed member of An Garda Síochána, who had tragically given his life in protecting the public.

The condolences were made on Monday at the start of Swords District Court, sitting in Balbriggan, where Gda Flatley lived with his family.

On behalf of the lawyers, Gerard Kennedy BL said that he and his legal colleagues wished to express their deep shock and sympathy to all gardaí, and especially to those who worked in the Swords and Balbriggan areas.

Mr Kennedy said that gardaí go out every day, they get into the fray and protect us, the general public, from criminality.

Mr Kennedy offered his deep sympathies, and that of all lawyers working in Swords and Balbriggan, to Gda Flatley’s wife and family, and to his colleagues in An Garda Síochána.

Judge Peter White said he wished to echo Mr Kennedy’s comments, offering his sincere sympathy to Gda Flatley’s family.

The court sergeant, Sgt Shane Griffin, said Gda Flatley was a dedicated member of the force, and was “at heart a community garda”.

Sgt Griffin said Gda Flatley had spent the last few years in traffic, and the work he was doing yesterday reflected the work that gardaí do on a regular basis.

Gda Flatley was working to keep the general public safe and he gave the ultimate sacrifice, he said.

Sgt Griffin said Gda Flatley was dedicated to sport and fitness, was an Ironman athlete, and was deeply involved in his local community.

The sergeant also expressed his sympathy and that of all his colleagues in Swords and Balbriggan to Gda Flatley’s family and friends.

Mr Harris said the dangers faced by members of Roads Policing were “extraordinary”. He said another garda had been injured in a separate incident involving a motorcycle yesterday.

“I would just like to point out the dangers there are for those who engage in Road Policing duties,” he told reporters at garda headquarters in Dublin.

“Almost unbelievably this afternoon we’ve had another garda member, had his leg broken, struck by a motorcycle, and one arrest made.”

He said in a separate incident last weekend another officer was seriously injured when he was hit by a van and had his leg badly broken.

“And this is a regular occurrence where we are enforcing legislation, road traffic laws, but also the criminal law, in respect of road users and just the dangers our members are facing, my members are facing, is just extraordinary,” he said.

Speaking generally about road safety in Ireland, Mr Harris called for a societal “reset”.

“I acknowledge the tougher sentences that have been put in place by the Government, but also this does call for a real reset and rethink about our approach as a society to road safety,” he said.

“Excessive speed, drink-driving, distraction, not wearing seat belts – all these things are regularly killing people on our roads.”

Mr Harris said it was not an option to withdraw members from roadside speed-detection duties.

“We have to keep our enforcement effort going,” he said.

“I have to say that we’re all very, very shocked by this, and I don’t want to get drawn into the wider road safety debate, but this is just the very hard edge of it, when we have a garda member killed in a road traffic collision.

“And all of us feel this today and all of us have to rethink, us ourselves as well, what more we need to be doing.”

Mr Harris said that gardaí would learn lessons from the incident as he emphasised the need to ensure the force was deploying the latest technology and equipment.

He highlighted the garda investment in high-visibility vehicles in recent years.

“We want to see what is the cutting edge, a leading edge in terms of the technology or tactics that we deploy. Yes, all that will be done,” he said.

“I’d be surprised that there’s not lessons for us, we certainly want to make sure that we’re at the cutting edge in terms of road safety for our members.

“There is no option for us but to police the roads, and we intend to do so – we want to do so in as much safety as possible.”

Gda Flatley’s death brings to 90 the number of gardaí killed while on duty.

Kevin Bolger, Deputy General Secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI), said this is a “massive tragedy”.

While speaking to RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland, he said: “Both myself, the president, the general secretary, and the executive of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, want to offer our deepest sympathies to both Úna and lovely children, Erin and Aoife, Kevin’s parents, to his colleagues, his wider community of friends.”

“But also to the colleagues that attended that tragic scene yesterday and commended themselves with fortitude and professionalism in the way that they conducted a duty.

“This is a massive tragedy, and the enormity of it hasn’t even really started to hit home among the organisation wider yet,” he added.

Mr Bolger, who used to be a traffic sergeant, first met Kevin while working with him in the early 2000s.

“A lovely gentleman, went down to community policing, where we’ve had numerous tributes paid from across the community where he worked in, but then he stood up and took the position in roads policing, which is a dedicated position.

“Because you are putting yourself in the front line to absolutely ensure people are safe going about their day-to-day business, more so than crime and everything like that.

“You interact with absolutely every facet of life, people commuting, people cycling, people walking, schools, education, wider community groups, sporting groups, and you’re trying to impart that knowledge and make the roads a safer place.

“The road is a dangerous work environment. You have live traffic. You have everything around, it is probably one of the most dangerous work environments you have.

“But as experienced members in the job were more than aware of that but sometimes, something can go tragically wrong. And ultimately, Kevin paid the ultimate sacrifice yesterday, and unfortunately lost his life,” he added.

Assistant Garda Commissioner for Roads Policing and the Dublin Metropolitan Region, Paul Cleary, also paid tribute to Gda Flatley.

He said he was “well regarded by his colleagues, very much involved in his own community where he lived out in Balbriggan, [including] a local GAA club, and a very well-liked person, very well respected, and a huge, huge, huge loss to our garda family today”.

“We’re going to give the family some time over the next day or so and, when they’re ready, then we’ll offer them all the support that they require,” he said.

The Taoiseach and the Tánaiste extended their “deepest” and “heartfelt” sympathies to the family, friends and colleagues of Gda Flatley.

Micheál Martin said Gda Flatley’s death would be “keenly felt” by those who knew him, but also in communities across Ireland and by all gardaí.

Tánaiste Simon Harris said Gda Flatley was “a long-serving and much-respected member” of the force who was “devoted” to his job.

President Michael D Higgins said Gda Flatley had “dedicated his career to public service and to keeping people safe” and said his thoughts are with his family.

Garda Representative Association president Mark O’Meara said they were all “numbed by the sudden and devastating loss of a colleague, friend and member of the garda family”.

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) described the incident as “devastating” and a “dark day” for An Garda Síochána.

Tributes

Dave Rooney, chairperson of Odwyers GAA club in Balbriggan – where Garda Flatley coached the U10 team and his two daughters play – said the coaching team is “devastated”.

Ms Rooney paid tribute to Garda Flatley, describing him as an “absolute gentleman” who was “always willing to lend a hand”.

While speaking on RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland, he said: “He was always positive around the club, a positive influence and always smiling.”

“He had a fantastic way about him within the club, and he was always willing to lend a hand and helped where he could.

“He was always a pleasure to chat to and his grá for GAA and helping others shone through in every conversation.

“He was a dedicated coach with our U10 girls team, encouraging the players at all times and bringing great energy.”

Both teams of Garda Flatley’s daughters, Aoife and Erin, were playing last Saturday.

“I was talking to Kevin after the game, and he was really positive, kind of delighted how the girls are progressing and developing.

“He was always caring, always thinking of everybody else,” he added.

The GAA club will now pause some games to honour Garda Flatley and “support his wife Úna and the family when the funeral arrangements are announced”.

“It’s going to be difficult for the club. We will do a minute of silence, and we will pause some games,” Mr Rooney added.

Meanwhile, Niall Hodgins, the vice-president of the Garda Representative Association, told the radio programme that everyone was shocked by the news.

While speaking on RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland, he said: “I have been inundated with calls about Kevin’s integrity, his values that he held dear, his dignity, his courage, his pride.”

“Later today, we would all gather with broken hearts to honour and remember our dear colleague and friend and teammate,” he added.

Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, said it was a “terrible tragedy” that Garda Flatley “lost his life in the line of duty”.

He added that this loss “emphasises the sacrifices and the danger associated with policing in Ireland”.

Speaking publicly again on RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland, he said: “I want to express my sympathy to his wife Úna and to his daughters Aoife and Erin.”

“I want to extend my sympathies, and indeed the sympathies of the government, to his wider family, and indeed to all members of An Garda Síochána, who I know are devastated by this death.

“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, but it emphasises 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 everyday, and 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,” the Minister added.

Flowers left as tribute to Garda Kevin Flatley

Minister O’Callaghan said: “I think when the Commissioner was speaking yesterday about a reset, he wasn’t just addressing his comments to a policy about roads policing.”

“He was addressing society, we need to slow down. There is too much speed on our roads. There are too many lives being lost on our roads.

“And although An Garda Síochána are out there to enforce the law and to make the roads as safe as possible, primary responsibility rests on all of us to ensure that we’re not driving excessively fast. That’s something that’s within all our control.

“And when the commissioner talks about reset, we should start looking at ourselves in the first instance, as opposed to saying: ‘Well, what could the gardaí do differently?’.”

The Justice Minister added that Garda Flatley’s public service is “commendable” and should be “something that we should all honour and reflect upon”.

“As Minister for Justice, and I know I have the support of the government, I’ll implement whatever new measures are required in order to ensure that gardaí are kept as safe as possible during their roads policing,” he said.

“Roads policing is an extremely important part of the function of An Garda Síochána. Obviously, it’s an area that’s also hugely dependent upon technology. We need to use technology as much as possible.

“A recently approved new contract for the use of more road traffic cameras, that’s an area that can be as effective. But no matter what technologies we introduce, we’re never going to get away from the fact that we want and we will need to have members of An Garda Síochána actively on the ground, policing the law and protecting the community.

“That’s what Garda Flatley was doing yesterday. Tragically, he lost his life whilst doing it, but his public service is commendable, and it’s something that we should all honour and reflect upon,” he added.

Mr O’Callaghan added: “I think we need to reflect upon our gardaí being exposed to excessive danger.”

“It is part of the public sacrifice that people make when they join An Garda Síochána, that they know they’re putting themselves in a line of danger.

“But we just need to ensure that when it comes to roads policing, that gardaí are not being put in danger beyond what is acceptable,” he added.