Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In 2016, EUROSTAT reported that Ireland has one of the lowest police to population ratios in Europe, with 278 gardaí per 100,000 citizens. That is 40 less than the EU average of 318 per 100,000. Since these 2016 figures were compiled, Ireland is reported to have increased its population to over 5.1 million people as of April 2022. A recent report based on Garda website figures and freedom of information requests shows the Garda to population ratio to be 241 gardaí per 100,000 of population. That is another reduction of some 38 gardaí per 100,000 of population. In recent weeks and months there have been daily headlines such as: "Revealed: the 42 garda stations without any full-time officer". Another headline stated:

Garda morale is at a low as a ‘culture of fear’ pervades the force. One in three of the officers who left last year resigned rather than retiring on age, health or other grounds.

We used to have a problem in not having enough patrol cars but now we do not have enough gardaí to drive them. We read such headlines every day.

Some 450 gardaí left the force last year and the Taoiseach's statement to Deputy McDonald yesterday was that there was enough funding in place for Garda retirements and resignations to be taken care of. However, there are only 89 gardaí in training. Was the Taoiseach's statement yesterday accurate? Deputy Varadkar has been in government since 2017, either as Taoiseach or Tánaiste, and the declining numbers are a crisis. Every town in the country is showing signs of this failing. There is no point in setting up drugs task forces or committees to make recommendations that cannot be implemented because the gardaí are not available. There is no point in passing laws to address these issues either.

This same recruitment and retention crisis exists across many of our Government Departments, all of which are getting worse. If money is not the issue, we need to look at the structure and management of same. I asked the Taoiseach last week to review the reason Garda transfers were taking so long and he was quite flippant in his response. My information is that gardaí who are driving five hours per day to serve active duty are ready to resign from the force. While I welcome the announcement from Commissioner Drew Harris that the Garda will conduct exit interviews from now on, it is akin to closing the stable door when the horse has bolted. If you listen to any of the representative organisations or associations, the problems are well pronounced, but it seems that no one in charge is listening. Can the Taoiseach give details of what long-term plan is in place to ensure Garda numbers grow with the population and are retained in line with European norms?

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