Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We have no choice but to bring this motion. We have no choice because the problems are so serious. They have been raised but they were not addressed in an adequate way. We highlighted the problems that existed and continue to exist within criminal justice. We said there was a crisis with Garda morale and the Minister said there was no crisis. We said she needs to complete the new regulations for the Garda Reserve to improve the Garda presence on the street, something demanded by retailers, workers who feel unsafe, shoppers and gardaí, but we are still waiting.

The various representatives for justice from Fine Gael who stood here maintained that the target of 1,000 new gardaí this year would be met when it was clear from early summer that the target was unachievable. Maintaining that mantra damaged Government credibility. The number of serving guards has decreased year on year over the past four years. I know and accept that morale in An Garda Síochána is in crisis. Many guards are buying back their pensions in order to leave early. Resignations are at an all-time high. Coming down the tracks is the cohort of gardaí who joined in the mid-1990s when recruitment reopened after the intake of guards had slowed in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In the medium term we need to recruit, including from the new communities. That is accepted by An Garda Síochána. In the short term, we need to allow Garda management to recruit reservists, which they have not been able to do since 2017. There has been no urgency in helping gardaí to achieve this and the Government has not listened, or if it has, it has not delivered.

We could have waited for Fine Gael to make a decision like it did with two of its previous three justice Ministers, but it was not going to do so this time. If we thought it would hasten change, bring more presence on the streets or increase Garda numbers and make people feel safe in their communities - retailers, emergency services, workers and gardaí - then we would, but we do not have confidence that that is going to happen after 13 years of Fine Gael in government. There are fewer gardaí on the streets and fewer Garda stations. In order to solve the problems with morale, the loss of control and resources, the Government and the Minister need to acknowledge the problems. Instead, Government spokespersons have engaged in distraction and delusion. Instead of solid proposals we heard a drum roll of predictably tougher legislation, strangely, the need for clarity on the use of force and, chillingly, the bizarre proposal to cut social welfare, as reported from the parliamentary party meeting, none of which could have prevented the unprecedented crime or the loss of control that happened on 23 November. All of that has convinced me that this Government is incapable of dealing with and solving the problems on our streets. It is incapable of making people safe and the consequences are what we saw last Thursday week. It is clear that the Government is out of touch, has lost credibility on these issues and, crucially, is not listening, and the Minister is not listening. We are saying we have had enough and we will vote no confidence in the Minister for Justice.

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