Sharon Keogan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I call on the Minister for Justice to come in here to discuss Garda numbers and Garda personnel in general. You would not think we would be talking about this, judging by the number of gardaí outside this building today, but we have a serious problem. On Thursday, 19 September, at 3 p.m. in the Balbriggan area, a crash involving a lorry and a car occurred. The Garda was called but no officers arrived at the scene. The owners of the vehicles involved were forced to manage the traffic impeded by the accident while waiting for their vehicles to be removed. Nobody from the Garda station arrived. I rang twice that evening. This is a public road and there was a collision involving a lorry and a car. What happened is a shameful and shocking demonstration of the failure of the Department of Justice to ensure that An Garda Síochána is properly resourced. Where were the gardaí that day? They were up here. There were thousands of gardaí around our city that day, protecting these Houses and the people in them.

The position when it comes to recruitment and retention of gardaí is abysmal. In recent years we have witnessed a disturbing increase in crime rates across Ireland, from petty thefts to violent assaults. It is undeniable that our streets are becoming less safe. This surge in criminal activity is directly linked to the dwindling number of gardaí. Our brave men and women in uniform are overworked, underpaid and undervalued. As a result, many are leaving the force. Few others are willing to join. The Department of Justice bears a significant responsibility for this crisis. It is its duty to ensure that our gardaí are adequately supported in terms of resources and morale. The current state of affairs suggests a glaring failure on its part. Those in government can write that we are going to recruit 1,000 gardaí in every budget going forward. The reality is that we are not getting anywhere near that number each year. We must ask ourselves how we can expect our gardaí to protect us when we do not protect them. The Department of Justice must take immediate and decisive action. This should include increasing funding for recruitment, modernising training facilities and providing better pay and working conditions for gardaí.

As this is budget day, it must be stated that the Government should do more in the context of making financial provision for the Garda. The safety of our citizens is paramount. It is the foundation upon which our society is built. Without a robust and well supported Garda, we cannot hope to tackle crime effectively.