Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The time has come to stop dodging the issue of recommencing Garda recruitment and training. We have discussed it many times in the House. The Minister indicated that recruitment would recommence, but in no way was that indication prefaced on the passing of the Croke Park II ballot by the unions. Croke Park II was a complete shambles and the Government took it for granted that public servants would buy into the proposals. The Government sought to rely on some of the larger trade unions to get its proposals over the line. Listening to a number of Ministers spinning the story that the deal was fair and proportionate even before the details were published, or even before they had read the details agreed at Lansdowne House, was distasteful.

If the numbers of the force drop below 13,000, the new rostering system will not function. The Minister has sought to trumpet that new system as one of the innovations of his smarter policing reforms.

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