Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Nothing could be further from the truth. Garda stations in Tipperary will continue to be supported, augmented and strengthened as a result of this plan. An Garda Síochána is a growing organisation. There are 14,200 gardaí nationwide supported by over 2,700 Garda staff. Since the reopening of the Garda training college in Templemore, in the Deputy's constituency, approximately 2,800 new Garda members have attested and have been assigned to frontline policing duties. Garda deployments in all areas of the country have benefited from this increased recruitment, including the Tipperary division where gardaí increased from 359 at the end of 2014 to 385 at the end of August this year. This represents a 7% increase in the Tipperary area over the past five years. At the same time Garda civilian staff in Tipperary have almost doubled from 32 at the end of 2015 to a total of 62 today, which further supports the redeployment of operational Garda members from administrative and desk duties to operational policing duties where their training and expertise can be used to best effect. This model, which results from listening on the part of the Garda Commissioner and his team, will serve Ireland well by providing more agile, more responsive and more localised service in Tipperary and around the country.

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