Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is why we recommenced the recruitment programme in recent years. That is why we have invested in ICT so there is more efficient communication across the whole of the Garda force and the entire country. I take the points the Deputy makes. Inevitably, given the closure of Templemore and the fact that recruitment stopped, it will take time to build up the force again. That is what we are doing. That is the good news. A total of 51 Garda reserves and 26 community gardaí are assigned to the Cork city division. The deployment of gardaí to the various areas where there is drug crime is an operational decision that the Garda Commissioner makes for each area at a national level. I take the Deputy's point about the challenge of drugs and the need for effective enforcement. I expect that as recruitment goes ahead next year, more gardaí will be assigned to work directly on drug crime.

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