Staffing problems are hitting garda armed support units, the national fraud unit, divisional squads tasked with investigating sexual and domestic crimes, and regional cyber crime units.

Disposable income per person in the Southern and Eastern region in Ireland was 3.4% above the State average while the figure for the Midland and Western regions was 9.6% below, according to CSO reports today.

GOVERNMENT cutbacks will undermine its ambitious new plan to disburse growth to areas outside of Dublin, it was claimed last night.