Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

I remind the Deputy that this State is effectively in receivership and that under the EU-IMF agreement we have an obligation by the end of this year to reduce Garda numbers from 14,500 to 13,500. The previous Government signed up to that commitment but there was no prospect of that reduction being achieved. At best, the Garda force numbers in the context of that agreement will reduce to 14,000 by the end of this year. The obligation we have is to reduce expenditure. It must be reduced across all the different areas of the justice spend, including the Garda. We are examining how we can use reduced resources more efficiently to properly maintain front-line services and to facilitate the Garda Síochána, as the excellent force that it is, to continue to meet all its obligations, provide to the community the protection it requires, continue the effective investigation of crime and ensure the prosecution of those who have broken the law.

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