Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome all of the witnesses and thank them for their contributions. I also thank An Garda Síochána for the difficult job it does every day on behalf of us all. I am sure I speak for all committee members when I say that.

The word "morale" has been bandied about quite a lot this afternoon. Based on the contributions, it is clearly a big issue. I am astonished things are as bad as they are, which poses the question. Someone is asleep at the wheel here. We have arrived at a point where a number of witnesses have used the word "crisis" with regard to Garda recruitment and retention. Is Garda management not listening to gardaí on the ground? Is that the problem? How would gardaí describe their relationship with top-level Garda management at the moment? The witnesses might also comment on the numbers. Based on present trends we are on course for approximately 150 members to resign this year. That is a frightening number. At the other end, Ms Cunningham mentioned there have been fewer than 5,000 applicants for the current recruitment campaign. Four or five years ago, I understand that figure might have been 25,000. There has clearly been a problem here for a long time. Someone is asleep at the wheel if that situation has been allowed to develop. We are using the word "crisis" a lot this afternoon.

Ms Cunningham mentioned a number of things, including the right to disconnect. Perhaps she might elaborate on that. It seems from what she said in her contribution that gardaí are on call nearly 24-7, which is difficult for a lot us to fathom, although perhaps some of the political representatives here fall into the same bracket. That does not justify members of the force being expected to be on call 24-7. Another comment I would like her to elaborate on concerned the right to strike. What are her thoughts on that and where that is coming from? How does An Garda Síochána compare to other police forces throughout the world when it comes to the right to strike? Does Ms Cunningham feel that would be an advantage as an avenue for members to avail of, if it were brought in? I would appreciate a response on that.

Mr. Cummins mentioned a number of things in his contribution, including the €10 million recently allocated. Does he feel that has made a difference? Can his members see a visible change in Garda presence on the ground as a result? Does that suggest it is a simple resource matter? As I go about my business around the country, the question I most frequently hear people ask is when was the last time I saw a member of the Garda on the beat in a town or village. I can only speak from my own experience. I cannot remember the last time I saw a member of the Garda patrolling Monaghan Town, Carrickmacross, Clones or Castleblayney. That is one example, but it is a comment I hear frequently and clearly shows a problem.

Mention was made earlier of the three-county model currently in train. I would like to hear some insight into that. I understand a review was carried out or is ongoing and some counties that were part of a three-county model no longer are. Perhaps those might be listed and what criteria was used to reverse that decision. In my own area of Cavan and Monaghan and Louth, I have always been a strong voice against that model.

It will not work and is crazy. Our starting point is a lack of resources. We are now lumped in with the two major towns of Drogheda and Dundalk, which are close to Dublin, and most of the action, as it were, will happen in those areas. In the event of an incident, members will be taken from Cavan and Monaghan to those towns. How does the review stand? Mention was made of a drugs unit in Cavan and Monaghan and how many members it had, but my understanding is that we do not have one, never mind the question of how strong it is. There are serious issues in this regard and I would like the witnesses to comment on them.

Mr. Gallagher mentioned the rosters and stated that, in order to have specialised units, we would have to take resources from somewhere else. The reality is that they would be taken from the front line. Is it Mr. Gallagher's view that this should not happen until such time as the front line is of an adequate strength to allow people to be moved from A to B?