James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

I raised this issue, in part, yesterday. I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to raise further a matter of national importance, namely, the danger to the lives and welfare of citizens due to cutbacks in gardaí numbers, which appear to be necessitated by the squandering of public money by a spendthrift Government, a Department of which sanctioned the spending of €1,000 for the replacement of three light bulbs in a Garda station. Despite understaffing and under-resourcing, over-spending and inflated quotes for maintenance work on Garda facilities by the Office of Public Works, OPW, is draining away funding from the operation of essential Garda areas and should result in the OPW being abolished in the interests of the protection of the public and the efficient operation of An Garda Síochána.

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