Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

Contrary to what the Minister stated on numbers, in his speech on the Estimates, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, confirmed that the Garda figure at the end of 2006 will be less than 13,000 and that the figure of 14,000 cannot be reached in the lifetime of this Government and will not be reached until 2008. In that situation, and I ask the Minister to get real, can better support be provided for the limited number of gardaí we have in terms of replacing their 20 year old walkie talkies, providing them with individual anti-stab vests and other better equipment?

I take the point about all the 25 or 40 important issues that now emerge from the Criminal Justice Bill. Will the Minister give serious consideration to expediting the priority items and let us get that part of the Bill through? He will have full co-operation from the Opposition parties.

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