Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will come to the question of resources. The Garda and the PSNI must be allowed to get on with the work they do so well and professionally on our behalf. It is not possible or would not be appropriate for us to pick at individual aspects of their work.

I agree with the Deputy that the issue of resources has a wider, political dimension. I agree with the Taoiseach in the sense that there is no evidence or basis for the assumption at which the Deputy appears to have arrived that this incident occurred because of a lack of resources. There is no evidence to support such a proposition.

On the broader question of resources, the Deputy will be aware that 100 new recruits entered training at the Garda College in Templemore in September 2014. I remind him that this was the first intake of Garda recruits since the moratorium had been put in place by the Government of which he was a supporter in 2009. There was a further intake of 100 recruits in December and of another 100 last week. They have brought the number of recruits in the Garda College to 300 and are a measure of the Government's commitment to An Garda Síochána. The first intake of recruits will attest as members of An Garda Síochána in May this year and be assigned to Garda stations across the country by the Garda Commissioner.

On equipment, the issue of vehicles is often raised in this context. The House should know that the Government recently secured an additional €10 million for investment in the Garda fleet, €7 million of which was made available in 2014, with the remaining €3 million to be provided in 2015. We are resourcing An Garda Síochána and ensuring that both it and the Irish Prison Service are properly resourced. Where possible, the Minister for Justice and Equality and the Government find increased resources to fill the enormous gap left by the actions of the Deputy's party in government.

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