Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My thoughts remain with the young children and the crèche workers who were so viciously assaulted and attacked on Thursday, and the children, carers, families and friends caring for them. I welcome the swift actions of the delivery driver, the parents present, the school staff and the staff of the Rotunda. I welcome the ongoing major Garda operation in Dublin city centre, which has rightly included a significant number of arrests in the city since Thursday. More than 30 people have been before the courts, and a high-visibility policing plan is in place.

Nobody denies that we need increased Garda recruitment to increase the number of gardaí on the ground, and not just in Dublin. I have spoken here several times about Garda stations, like Leighlinbridge Garda station in rural County Carlow, that need to be reopened. I have spoken about small stations that need proper refurbishment and communications equipment. That is so important. It is a changing world, and we are all changing. Nobody has before experienced what we saw last Thursday. As the mother of a Garda, as the mother-in-law of a Garda and as a woman, I saw what the gardaí went through and I can honestly say it affects the families. We need to make sure we resource our gardaí. We need more of them. I am always calling for more gardaí in Carlow-Kilkenny. I know a lot of gardaí come to Dublin from counties Carlow and Kilkenny. I want to compliment every Garda. I know how hard they work. I know their commitment and dedication. We need to resource them and get more gardaí.

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