Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

This is the reason that in the North in particular, the threat level in respect of the potential to create damage has been raised to "severe". This is the reason the Garda Síochána is highly active in Border areas in particular to ensure such activities do not take place. This has been acknowledged by the former PSNI commissioner, Mr. Hugh Orde.

At the end of this year the number of gardaí will reach an all-time high, some 14,800, with another 400 or 500 to be attested in the following year. It is accepted that there were a significant number of retirements but one must give credit to the significant increase in the number of gardaí. Despite suggestions that we should take away large numbers of gardaí from the Border Garda stations, there has been a significant increase in the number of gardaí in Border areas.

See this speech in context