We need more money to fight crime, say gardaí

THE head of the Garda Representative Association has welcomed the Justice Minister’s pledge of an additional €2 million to fight crime but said it had to be viewed in the context of a €23m cut in garda funding this year.

"This could conceivably mean more gardaí on the streets of Limerick and we welcome that," GRA president Michael Kirby said.

"When we're looking at Limerick what we need is specialist units to target the criminal gangs just like what happened after the Veronica Guerin murder. If this is going to happen we need more funding and we have to get away from putting the budget first."

Earlier yesterday, gardaí in Limerick described manpower levels and financial support in the city as dire and claimed there were days when no members are available to go out on the beat.

The claims were made just before Justice Minister Michael McDowell announced emergency funds of €2m to fight organised crime.

Paul Browne, of the Garda Representative Association Limerick division, said he is seriously concerned for the safety of members out on the street.

"It's no fun on a Saturday night, especially if you require assistance," Garda Browne said in an interview with the GRA magazine Garda Review.

"We have half the manpower and double the workload that we had in the mid-80s. What resources we do have are targeted at the family feuds that are currently tarnishing the city's reputation.

"The financial cutbacks are hitting Limerick city hard and this has a direct effect on policing throughout the division. Law abiding citizens suffer," said Gda Browne, who is attached to Henry Street station.

The GRA representative said there was not enough money to pay overtime at present even in the first 48 hours of a murder investigation.

"We can't pay overtime. Meeting budgets has become a priority ahead of providing effective policing. No special provisions have been made to give us a supplementary budget.

"There are days in Limerick city when there are no members available to go out on the beat. Serious crimes are being investigated but at the detriment of normal policing. The manpower levels and financial support is dire and certainly not adequate," Gda Browne said.

Other members in Limerick echoed the GRA's fears, describing what it is like to work in frontline areas such as the Moyross estate.

One member, who did not want to be named, said: "The Moyross estate is an area notorious for this kind of public disorder and assault.

"It's fraught with danger because of the number of assaults and car thefts and the general awareness that many of the people encountered are generally believed to be carrying guns. We routinely have to stop cars carrying people that are widely reputed to be armed."

While the GRA has called for an immediate 30% in manpower in the city, one rank and file member attached to Mayorstone station claimed many assaults go unreported.

"There are simply not enough police in the city to cope and now fear is gripping the local population, which has a direct impact on intelligence as they are afraid to talk to local gardaí."

It is also common for garda vehicles to be attacked by stone-throwing youths while out on patrol but members complain that there is no proper wagon with grills protecting the windscreen.