Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)

I welcome the decision of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, to seek approval for 2,000 extra gardaí to increase the strength of the force to 14,000. He needs to be aware of some reality checks, however. I recently raised the issue of morale within the Garda. The Morris tribunal in Donegal is doing a job that has to be done, but it is inadvertently having a negative effect on morale within the force, which has a knock-on effect on public confidence in the force. An increasing number of gardaí are seeking early retirement as a result of the lack of morale. Questions have to be asked about the lack of Garda resources. Just three or four gardaí may have to patrol 30,000 or 40,000 people on the streets of the Temple Bar area of Dublin on a weekend night. Gardaí are under pressure. They fear imminent assault because they are conscious of the ever-increasing level of violent assaults in this country. A new garda, or a young cub as we would call him in County Donegal, was shot this morning.