Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will be as brief as I can. This is a huge issue. I welcome the statements but the numbers are being manicured and we are just not getting them. We want to keep Templemore because it is a wonderful centre. In south Tipperary, Carrick-on-Suir has three gardaí and two sergeants, but it used to have 14 gardaí. The Clonmel Garda district covers Carrick-on-Suir, Mullinahone, Kilsheelan, Cashel, Cahir and all the villages. The superintendent told me he would have eight gardaí on a good day. Are you telling me the criminals in roving gangs do not know this? It is a shocking situation that is only going to deteriorate, given the number of people due to leave An Garda. Those figures are there. The Garda always knew those members would be leaving the force 30 years after joining up, but it has not planned for this. We have seen that the Garda has been trying to recruit Muslims, Travellers and anybody else. It is doing its best but this will not buy it the time it needs. We need to get more gardaí on the streets.

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