Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I welcome the Minister to the House and I welcome his promise of 2,000 extra gardaí. I wish to remind the House of the need for them. When I am in the United States and other parts of the world, I am aware of the high visibility of the police. That visibility is one of the reasons people are law-abiding; they know they are likely to be caught when the police are there. I also recognise that 2,000 extra gardaí will mean, I think, a ratio of 5:1. Due to the long hours worked, including Sunday working, it means no more than 400 extra gardaí on the beat at any given time. It is a reminder that 2,000 extra gardaí may not even be enough. It may be necessary to strengthen the Minister's hand by giving him the backing to do whatever is necessary to make sure we have a police force that works.

One of the benefits which we have enjoyed in Ireland has been that of a police force which is community based. It has been enhanced in recent years through the use of such schemes as neighbourhood watch and community alert. I was chairman of the Chubb committee that awarded prizes for these schemes over the years. I was amazed at the level of good work done by neighbourhood watch and community alert in backing up the Garda. The community-based gardaí in my area of Howth use bicycles to work very effectively and to be in contact with the citizens. I will take some credit for raising in the House some ten years ago the possibility of having a mounted Garda unit. I was delighted that the Minister responded very swiftly and the mounted Garda unit was established. I think such a unit brings the Garda closer to the citizens. I have used the words "police force" even though it is no longer politically correct to use the word "force"; the correct words seem to be "police service".

It should be remembered that the Garda has a job of protection and a job which necessitates confrontation. I have had the experience in my life of needing the protection of the Garda. On one occasion, and I will not describe it in detail, somebody threatened to attack me with a butcher's knife. I was very happy that a garda was present to confront him. I say that as an illustration that this political correctness might be taken a little overboard. I have a fear that many gardaí in recent times have placed a priority on not putting a foot wrong and not attracting any unfavourable attention by behaving in a manner which might be criticised by those who say they are being too tough on someone who is committing a crime. We do not appreciate the need for confrontation. We should not be shy about declaring that there are occasions when confrontation is required. I agree that community-based gardaí with backup from citizens is a good idea but the Garda must be given not just the numbers and the power but also the encouragement to face up to the problems with an attitude of strength that protects society because we all need protection. I am concerned that a garda might be inhibited in his or her attitude because of criticism of his or her actions.

I agree that in the past there was a danger that by being so politically correct, we went out of our way to avoid showing the strength needed against criminals. Those drug barons would not have developed such power ten years ago if this was not the case. It is our responsibility as legislators to ensure that we endow with that strength those who are there to protect society. It was only as a result of the death of Veronica Guerin that we as legislators were willing to do things that we were unwilling to do previously.

I mention that case as an example of so many other cases. Our citizens would prefer to defend a few of what I will call, over-enthusiastic gardaí who stepped over the line rather than having a mollified, emasculated force which was afraid to confront those criminals who do harm to us.

I use the words "emasculate" and "mollified" on that basis. Part of the solution is to ensure that the Garda is given the strength, the courage and the backbone so that it can protect us. That is the reason I was pleased when I visited Templemore two years ago and saw the level of training that is carried on there. It is not solely community-based training, but training to ensure gardaí are able to protect us. I am pleased to hear the Minister plans to do something about Templemore because it is clearly under great strain and it requires investment. I believe such investment will pay for itself. I encourage the Minister to keep going in the direction he is going. If I have any criticism it is that he has not gone far enough. I am saddened to say that because I would like to think this country did not need a police force.

Two years ago I was on a small island in the Caribbean which has only one policeman but it does not have any crime. I do not think the reason is because it only has one policeman; I think it only needs one policeman. It is a chicken and egg situation. We should ensure that if we are to achieve success in this area, it is because we have given strength to the Garda, in the professionalism and training given in Templemore and in the encouragement we as legislators give the force to make sure it faces up to the challenges in order to protect us.