Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday Thomas Dooley was stabbed to death in a cemetery in Tralee just minutes after a young mother was buried. This was an horrendous murder in a location that should be a sanctuary for people who are grieving for their families. It comes when crime levels in areas such as sexual assaults and domestic violence are increasing significantly. In 2016 after years of austerity we had one of the lowest numbers of police in the EU with just 278 gardaí for every 100,000 people and we have hardly moved a bit. We now have 280 gardaí for every 100,000 people. Ireland is still one of the lowest policed states in the EU. The Government planned to recruit 800 gardaí this year but only 25 were actually recruited in the first eight months. That is three gardaí recruited every month in the country with one of the lowest numbers of police officers at a time when crime is radically increasing. Many people feel the Minister for Justice is distracted by the culture wars and not focusing on the real job of keeping people safe in this country.

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