Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is welcome that the Minister has announced a recruitment campaign to commence next year and that she has taken on board something I have raised on a number of occasions, namely, that the Garda Reserve should be looked at as a separate entry stream into the main Garda force. Many of those involved in the Garda Reserve will welcome this and will be glad to see some progression.

I mentioned the unfortunate passing of a man in Doon in my constituency, Mr. John O'Donoghue. With the Minister's colleague and a number of other public representatives, I attended the launch in Doon yesterday of the text alert scheme. Senior Garda personnel from the Limerick division were present. The message coming back to them was that people wanted to see more gardaí based in the community and backed up by resources. Everybody in this House subscribes to that view.

We know that there are about 1,500 gardaí who are eligible to retire today or any time soon and that the Minister is recruiting up to 600. It is my party's position that we would like to see the force being brought back up to a figure of 14,000 in the lifetime of the next Government. What is the Minister's view on that proposal? Will a vigorous recruitment campaign be undertaken for the 1,100 members of the Garda Reserve?

There are many people who are ready, willing and able to partake and give of their service to their own communities to address concerns like those we heard in Doon last night.

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