Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

Under Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party, Ireland is becoming a more violent and dangerous place. The Government is soft on crime and soft on the causes of crime. The Taoiseach just needs to look at the facts in that regard.

Over the last number of years, the Government has hung the Garda out to dry in terms of underresourcing and understaffing. According to EUROSTAT figures in 2016, Ireland had the smallest per capita police force in the EU at 278 gardaí for every 100,000 people. That was 40 police officers less than the European average at the time. Figures I just received from the Department of Justice show that there are only 280 gardaí now for every 100,000 people. It has hardly moved in terms of per capitanumbers since that austerity floor back in 2016. This obviously leaves gardaí extremely vulnerable.

In the response to that parliamentary question I received a number of weeks ago, we found out that 2,411 gardaí have been assaulted while on active duty in the last ten years. It is absolutely not acceptable that hundreds of gardaí are going about their normal business every year helping the community and they are being assaulted for it. It is terrifying figure for both the gardaí and for families. The Government must take steps to protect those gardaí.

Other information we received shows that only 116 gardaí were recruited to the service last year. That is an 80% collapse on the previous year, which is an incredible figure. We know that hundreds of gardaí are retiring each year and that last year, we had the highest number of resignations in the Garda force in the last five years. It is, therefore, very clear and very stark. The number of gardaí in the State per capitais going into reverse significantly and it is doing tremendous damage to morale in the force. It is doing tremendous damage to the force's ability to carry out its work in the community and it is leaving gardaí vulnerable as a result.

Now, we hear that gardaí are set to face prosecution after three people were tragically killed while being pursued down the wrong side of the motorway. These were criminals who had 200 previous convictions. As the Taoiseach can imagine, there is huge concern among gardaí at that particular threat of prosecution. There is huge concern about whether they will be able to do the work they are meant to do. We have to stand up for our gardaí. We in Aontú have created a Bill that will create a minimum custodial sentence for those who physically assault gardaí. We heard the Minister for Justice talk about a maximum custodial sentence and that is to be welcomed, but without a minimum custodial sentence, it is entirely possible that people can continue to assault gardaí in this State and never, ever see prison time for that. That is absolutely wrong given what has happened. All of this is leading to significant increases in crime and anti-social behaviour in the State. Will the Taoiseach support our call for a minimum custodial sentence to protect gardaí on duty?

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