John Dardis (Progressive Democrats)

I move:

That Seanad Éireann commends the Government and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform for:

(1) their restated commitment to the programme for Government undertaking to "complete the current expansion of the Garda Síochána and increase recruitment so that the numbers will increase by a further 2,000";

(2) the increase in the ranks of the Garda Síochána from 10,800 in 1997 to the current strength of 12,200;

(3) the Minister's recent announcement of plans to recruit over 1,000 new recruits per annum to the Garda Síochána thereby bringing the total force to over 14,000 members; and

(4) the Government's clear plans to reorganise the workings of the Garda college at Templemore, thereby facilitating the ambitious Garda recruitment plans.

I welcome the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, to the House. I thank him for attending and for his ever-willing availability to the House.

When the current Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats Government came into office it agreed that recruitment to the Garda Síochána should increase so that numbers in the force would rise by 2,000 before the next general election in 2007. I am sure the Cathaoirleach shares our confidence that it will be in that year. This increase would raise the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000 and would confer significant operational benefits.

It is worth reminding the Opposition of the situation that existed up until 1997 when the current coalition arrangement first came into power. In 1993, Garda numbers were at 10,882, in 1984 they were 10,827, in 1995 they were 10,816 and in 1996 they were 10,804. Therefore, there was a drop in numbers over that period.

On the basis that Deputy Jim O'Keeffe who was Opposition spokesperson for justice in 1979 is now once again the Fine Gael spokesperson, we can imagine that if we were under his tenure we would now be down at a figure of 9,000 instead of advancing in the opposite direction. However, since the coalition came into power, the trend has been reversed and the numbers increased to 11,748 in its first term. Although we have come through difficult economic times as a result of the hiccup with the Celtic tiger and the cap on public service numbers, the Minister must be commended on obtaining approval to increase the numbers to 12,200 by 2004. The current number is 12,117 and when the current group in training comes on stream on 26 November, the target of 12,200, which is a record high, will have been reached. There is progress in the right direction and we have a firm commitment in the programme for Government to even greater progress. For that reason, the Minister is to be commended on his recent announcement.

The Fine Gael amendment regrets the "minimal increase". Compared to its record, which I have just outlined, it should be impressed by any increase.