Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)

I compliment Deputy Flanagan on tabling the motion, which is timely, opportune and important. I would like to refer to the issue of Garda resources in the context of my constituency, Limerick East, and Limerick city. In reply to a question I tabled to the Minister before Christmas, I was informed 8% of the Garda force in Limerick had applied to retire up to mid-December. This amounted to 49 gardaí, comprising one superintendent, four inspectors, seven sergeants and 37 ordinary members. This has made it impossible for the force to operate in an effective manner combatting gangland crime in the city. In particular, inspectors are very much involved in bringing cases to court and the loss of four inspectors will make it much more difficult for the Garda to do so.

In addition, all the retired gardaí have a minimum of 30 years service. Their reservoir of knowledge and expertise regarding what is happening on the ground will be impossible to replace. Many of them are in their early 50s and their knowledge and expertise of dealing with gangland crime in Limerick will not be passed on to younger members of the force who are doing excellent work. Like Deputy Flanagan, I call on the Minister to ensure senior gardaí are replaced with immediate effect, in particular, the chief superintendent, the four inspectors and the seven sergeants in Limerick. Rank and file gardaí are being taken away from ordinary patrolling activities, including fighting anti-social behaviour, and placed in special units that are being set up to combat drugs. They need to be replaced as this is compromising the Garda's normal work on the ground.

In 2009 there were three murders in Limerick; this is three too many. One of those was the murder of Roy Collins, which was a senseless killing of an innocent victim and should never have happened. Senior gardaí must be replaced. I have no doubt the Minister is aware that the Limerick Garda was successful in defusing three pipe bombs that were found at Roxboro shopping centre last week. I praise the work of the Garda in doing this, but it sends out the message that criminality and gangland crime continue to be an issue. Resources are a key factor in dealing with this.

Drugs have become pervasive in every city and town in Ireland but nowhere more so than in Limerick, where there have been seizures of heroin in the last week. We must intercept drugs at the point of entry, but this has not happened to date. In addition, there is a problem with the bail laws. The granting of bail to a person caught in possession of a firearm defies logic. It should not happen. Furthermore, there should be mandatory sentencing of 25 years. A life sentence does not mean life - it means eight or nine years. In many cases we have a revolving system of early release, which means there is no deterrent.

We need a commitment from the Minister that he will replace the gardaí who have effectively retired, particularly the chief superintendent in Limerick, as well as the four inspectors, seven sergeants and 37 gardaí. I ask the Minister to assure the House that he will provide the resources for these to be replaced with immediate effect in order that the Garda can continue to fight these heinous crimes.

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