GRA lashes out at shortage of gardaí

THERE are fewer gardaí on the beat than there were ten years ago, the Garda Representative Association claimed yesterday.

The news comes against the backdrop of three fatal gangland shootings in recent days, and another suspicious death in Dublin last night.

The Garda Representative Association (GRA) said the Government's election promise to recruit 2,000 extra gardaí was now forgotten. In addition, gardaí were having to work with a reduced overtime budget, having been given 23m less to spend this year than last.