Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I seek assurances not only for myself but also, more importantly, for members of An Garda Síochána. If these reports are accurate and verified, we will have circumstances in which detectives will not, as stated in the newspaper report from which I quoted, be providing 24-7 armed cover in the southern division. That would be a considerable concern, primarily because it would jeopardise the safety of members of An Garda and potentially give signals to criminal elements that the force is effectively trying to fight crime with one arm tied behind its back. We simply cannot have that in any part of the country but, in the context of the southern division and the Cork city Garda division, these are issues of major concern.

In the Cork area, there will be large gatherings of people. There are armed gardaí at GAA matches now, for example. They were very evident in Thurles last week. Páirc Uí Chaoimh will be re-opening soon. Additional resources will be required to ensure there is armed cover at events there.

These issues are of concern. While I accept that the Minister of State does not have a hands-on role every day in Garda management, it is important that he relay the concerns I am raising to the Garda Commissioner and insist that members of the force outside Dublin have the same training and access to equipment, including safety vests, bulletproof vests and the proper arms, as their Dublin counterparts in order to ensure they are not vulnerable when carrying out their duties on behalf of the Irish people and the State.

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