Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

I do not want to sound rude but I want to communicate the level of anger in County Meath at the fact that Meath is on the bottom rung with regard to the number of gardaí. Ireland has the second lowest number of police per capitain the whole of the European Union. Ireland is one of the worst countries in terms of policing and Meath is the worst in that country. Outside of rhetoric, I have not heard anything that has actually been delivered. Garda numbers, Garda morale and Garda safety are on the floor. We have one of the lowest numbers of personnel in our police force per capita. Hundreds of police are being assaulted every year and hundreds of gardaí are resigning every year. More people are retiring from the Garda force every year and people are voting with their feet by refusing to join An Garda Síochána. More than physical investment is needed. The Minister has to prove to gardaí that it is going to get better, that there will be more gardaí to support them, that it will be a safer place for them to operate and that communities in County Meath will be able to live in peace and harmony.

See this speech in context