John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)

Deputy Twomey and others mentioned Garda numbers, on which I wish to touch. I am not sure why the Minister of State did not intervene when they were speaking. The Minister of State will be happy to know that, in the Dublin area, the number of people served by each garda is approximately 300. The figure is 370 in the Limerick area, 407 in the Cork area, 445 in the Galway area and 492 in the Waterford-Kilkenny division. There is a significant difference in the number of gardaí serving people. I have asked the Secretary General of the Department to respond to me in regard to this issue. I again ask the Department to come back to me with a response as to what it is going to do with the additional number of gardaí, if they ever come on stream.

I wish to raise one other issue, namely, the joint policing committees on which we are about to sit. I represent the city and county of Waterford. I have been told the first meeting of the city policing committee will take place next Monday and I will be a member of that committee. However, I will be precluded from sitting on the county Waterford policing committee because one cannot sit on both committees in a constituency. If that is the case, what is the reason for it? It is ridiculous if it is enforced.

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