Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The national model of community policing was launched in 2009 amid some optimism and a belief that it would represent a significant part of Garda strategy from then on. However, it has been marked since then by a lack of commitment by successive Governments, most visibly seen in the dramatic reductions in the number of community gardaí, which has fallen every year for the past eight years, from 1,182 to 691. This has severely undermined the ability of community gardaí to do their job. I question whether this Government is committed to the community model of policing.

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