Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

That is a big enough percentage, but the greater the number dedicated as community gardaí, and in the various areas such as drugs, sexual assault and crime investigation, the fewer there are in other areas. It would be our desire to have more community gardaí but I do not want to tie the hands of Garda management by saying that it must reach a certain quota and thereafter all the other things must be done because that would not be fair. The increase in Garda numbers in recent years has given the Commissioner some headroom for community Garda numbers. I will raise it with him but I would not like to tie his hands.

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