Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I raise the plight of a substantial number of Garda recruits who have been badly inconvenienced and left out of pocket because of the last-minute decisions of Garda management. Thankfully, 200 new Garda recruits have just completed their training. They had been posted to different stations throughout the country. I understand nine were due to go to the Cavan-Monaghan division, four to Carrickmacross, two to Monaghan town and three to Bailieborough in County Cavan. Donegal, for example, was due to get 13.

The plans were changed at the last minute and now Garda management has reallocated these Garda recruits to six major urban centres throughout the country - Dublin, Cork, Limerick and a few others. Those recruits will not now be coming to other towns throughout the country to which they were initially allocated until late January. That is disappointing because the people in Cavan-Monaghan were looking forward to additional gardaí on the streets over the Christmas period and God knows there are many towns throughout the country crying out for more gardaí on the streets.

The other issue I have is how Garda management could make a decision like this at the last minute. It is very unfair on the young gardaí in question, many of whom, I understand, had accommodation booked in the towns in which they were to be stationed. Some of these recruits, because their training had finished, were entitled to and had booked holidays. Those who had will lose their money, and those who had sought accommodation would have had to have paid booking deposits if they were successful in getting accommodation. They also may have had to have paid rent there for a month when they will not be there. They also now have to seek accommodation in one of those six major centres where they are going to be allocated for one month. That is going to be a difficult task.

Perhaps the Leader will bring this to the attention of the Minister for Justice and Equality. Why did Garda management leave this decision to the last minute? Surely somebody would have foreseen that these gardaí were going to be needed for traffic duty over the Christmas period and therefore should not have been allocated stations around the country as had been done. It is unfair and shows no duty of care or respect to those young members of An Garda Síochána who are about to commence their careers.