Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

More than 800 experienced gardaí retired last year and hundreds of vacancies in the middle ranks of the Garda, for example, for sergeants and inspectors, have not been filled. More than 40% of members of the force have less than five years experience. Those involved in organised crime are taking over our streets and criminal gangs are running riot as our under-resourced force struggles to respond to the crime epidemic. The numbers of knife and gun offences and murders are on the increase and such offences are now almost commonplace. The Minister has failed to come to the House to respond to questions on the issue.

As I stated last week, dissident republicans pose a serious threat to the institutions of the State. They are recruiting young people throughout the country. We need to be satisfied that gardaí have the necessary resources to tackle them and have full co-operation with their counterparts in the PSNI.

The Garda uses outdated systems and practices. Many gardaí believe Garda management and the Government have failed them. We need new and advanced systems and structures and technology to combat crime.

I call on the Leader to invite the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to come into the House to discuss these problems, as he has failed to do so on a number of occasions. All last term I asked for the Minister to come to discuss these problems but we never managed to get him into the House. I am, therefore, proposing an amendment to the Order of Business that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform come into the House today to debate these issues.

I hope Sinn Féin and the DUP will sort out their problems as a matter of urgency. Any vacuum in the political system would allow dissidents to prosper. It is in all our interests that they get together to sort out their problems.