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.

A Department of Justice spokesman last night blamed the Department of Finance. He said the number of gardaí would increase to 12,500 by the end of next year.

"The Minister wants to increase that to 14,000, but there is nothing he can do until the Department of Finance lifts the embargo on recruitment," he said.

GRA President Michael Kirby said most of the overtime budget was being eaten up by the special operations in Limerick and in Shannon. An Garda Síochana was now a "rundown fire brigade service" and less gardaí on the beat was causing "public order mayhem", he said.

He said there were 30% fewer uniformed gardaí on the streets of Galway compared to ten years ago.

"Where they had units of 18 people going out on the beat, hitting the street at 10pm on Friday night, they now have 10. That is replicated throughout our cities and indeed large towns."

He said that in Limerick the scene of a vicious feud between criminal families the situation could be even worse.

Mr Kirby said ordinary uniformed units were haemorrhaging members to specialist units.

"What is left is members with little experience on the street dealing with public order mayhem," Mr Kirby said.

He said the expected retirement of 600 officers effectively negated plans by Justice Minister Michael McDowell to recruit an extra 650 gardaí.

"What affects the vast majority of people is public order problems on Saturday night, where people walking the streets can be attacked. Keeping our streets safe is where you need resources," he said.

The Department of Justice spokesman said 1,100 more gardaí had been taken on in the last five years and the Garda budget had risen from €559m in 1996 to €964m this year.

In relation to Limerick, he said local garda management said they had enough resources to deal with the current situation.