Garda numbers to fall by 10% by 2014

GARDA numbers are to be substantially cut in a drive to shave €370 million off the Justice budgets by 2014.

The National Recovery Plan states that Garda numbers will fall from 14,500 this year to 13,500 within a year and to 13,000 by 2014, a total drop of 10%.

The dramatic cut will put considerable strain on the force, which may be faced with a rise in recession-related crimes, such as burglaries and thefts, as well as a worsening threat from organised crime and dissident republicans.