Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)

I join with Senator Brian Hayes in calling for calm next weekend. The Garda Representative Association information indicates that up to 5,000 gardaí will be on duty on 1 May. In that context, I call for calm on both sides.

I am disappointed by the abrasive manner in which the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has behaved in the past few days. I ask the Minister to come before this House because I want to challenge him on the fact that despite Government pledges to increase Garda numbers by 2,000, they have been increased by just 121 in the past 22 months. As I speak, drug barons are targeting rural areas and we will need 10,000 gardaí if the drug culture takes hold. I challenge the Minister to come before the House and defend the failure to put extra gardaí in place because it is a serious threat to the State.