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

The same expectation of an honest approach arises with regard to equipment. Every time I raise the matter with the Minister, the response is always about the significant billions of euro being spent. However, one wonders what is the reality. For example, driver training for gardaí is increasingly important as they put their lives on the line and must also have regard for the general public. However, we have a situation where thousands of gardaí are expected to drive garda vehicles without having done the official driving course. What is worse, in response to a parliamentary question in February I discovered the number who had received training was 2,013, but by last week when I received a reply to a follow-on question, the number had only increased to 2,281. We are falling behind in this regard.

The same arises in other areas. We expect some gardaí to carry firearms on our behalf. Thank God, we have an unarmed force, but we require an armed back-up. Upwards of 3,500 members of the Garda are expected to hold firearms certificates and to be able to use those firearms on our behalf, yet there is no specialist, dedicated training range available to them as the two that were available are out of commission. It is not fair to the Garda that it should be left in a situation where promises of increased numbers, equipment or training facilities are not delivered. There is no point talking about what will happen in 2008. What is important is what happens now. Let us all learn from these reports. Let us encourage the changes that need to take place in the Garda Síochána but let us stand four square behind gardaí and give them the numbers, facilities, equipment and training to ensure the Garda is the best police force in the world and one of which we can all be proud.

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