Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

Authorising is not recruiting. Last year, the Government authorised that recruitment of 1,000 gardaí and 116 were recruited. That is the difference between a press statement and the reality of the experience in society. The Government's policy is backfiring on people because crime and antisocial behaviour are going through the roof. Ireland has become a more violent place in recent years. Figures that we have obtained show that gardaí have seized 17,000 knives in the past year, an increase of 60% in a few short years. There was a jump in the number of unlawful killings in 2021 and 2022. Figures released to Aontú show there were 53,775 domestic violence calls in 2022. More than 1,000 people, mostly women, attended a sexual assault treatment unit last year. That was the first time that figure ever surpassed 1,000. In 2011, 1,958 sexual offences were recorded in the State. In 2021, that number had increased by 75% to 3,433. In 2011, 447 rapes were recorded in the State. In 2021, that figure had doubled to 983. Ireland is becoming more violent. It is happening because people can attack gardaí with impunity at the moment and the numbers of gardaí are falling. The Garda can no longer do its job to the full extent.

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