Gardaí condemn crime unit funding cut

GARDA associations have expressed serious concern at a 50% cut in funding to the Garda’s dedicated operation combating organised crime.

Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan revealed on Monday that the budget for Operation Anvil had been chopped, from €21 million in 2010 to €10m in 2011.

He stressed he could access separate funding to complement this and fund operations against organised crime and subversives.