Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I speak on behalf of my colleagues in the Rural Independent Group on the lack of gardaí in our country. Since the trouble in Dublin, gardaí are coming up from Tipperary and every other county to man the situation here in Dublin. Places like Carrick-on-Suir, Clonmel, Tipperary Town, Cahir and Roscrea are very short of guards. They have pathetic numbers if people knew the real numbers, when sickness and gardaí confined to barracks and working night duties are taken into consideration.

We see this morning another sticking plaster from the Minister for Justice where she is looking to bring the number of Garda reserves up to 1,000. This is a serious situation where we need a proper debate here because our people do not feel safe. We had a number of incidents at the weekend in Roscrea and in towns and villages all over the country which are being investigated. There is fear in our communities and there is no response from gardaí because they are simply not there. We need the numbers.

The Government keeps telling us in answers to questions that we have the numbers. We do not have them because they are on office or court duties and are on everything else but they are not able to serve the public, and the public are worried. We need a proper, honest and open debate here about our Garda numbers.

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