Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As we celebrate the centenary of An Garda Síochána, it is crucial to acknowledge the pressing challenges this revered institution. Morale within the force has plummeted to an all-time low and this crisis of confidence cannot be ignored. The GRA, which represents rank-and-file gardaí, recently registered an overwhelming vote of no confidence in the force's most senior officer, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, by a staggering 98.7%. Being honest, if the Minister, me or anyone else had 98.7% of our team against us, it would be the writing on the wall for us and we would do the honourable thing. Instead of the Minister standing in to deal with this crisis, she stood idly by and let a bad situation get worse.

It looks like An Garda Síochána is being run by a dictatorship at the top. The Minister and the Taoiseach are supporting this while, at the same time, crime is out of control in many areas of our country. The GRA further revealed that many officially open Garda stations are suffering from a shortage of permanent gardaí, especially in rural stations, resulting in fewer gardaí covering larger geographical areas and communities receiving only skeleton response hours. These closed Garda stations once played a crucial role in maintaining a visible Garda presence on the streets, which contributed to the community's sense of security. The closure of these mainly rural Garda stations across rural Ireland points to a broader pattern of removing essential community services from towns and villages outside Dublin. We need action and this action has to come from the Minister's side immediately.

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