State of the force is a disgrace, says AGSI
The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors told the minister the general public cannot get the service they expect because gardaí do not have the necessary resources.
Speaking to Ms Fitzgerald at their annual conference, AGSI president Tim Galvin told her the 300 recruits being trained “will not go anywhere near” replacing the numbers who have left, either through retirement or career breaks.
AGSI general secretary John Redmond welcomed the minister’s announcement of 250 further recruits this year, which will bring the number for 2014 and 2015 to 550.
“Our delegates have said there should be a minimum number of between 13,000 and 14,000,” said Mr Redmond.
“It’s 250, it’s an excellent start from where we are, [but] 325 is needed, the commissioner says, every year.”
Mr Galvin told delegates the “burning issue” for members was the lack of resources to carry out day-to-day functions of frontline policing. He said the association welcomed the 300 recruits now in Templemore Garda College.
“However, it will not help alleviate the chronic shortage of people available to frontline policing,” he said.
He said there were around 30 members retiring every month and said others, officially estimated to be in the region of 500, were out due to illness or injury.
On top of that, 200 have left through incentivised career breaks and 20 have gone to the Department of Social Welfare. All these are included in the current strength of 12,799.
“The 300 new recruits will not go anywhere near replacing those who have left,” Mr Galvin said. He said gardaí were still expected to provide the same service on reduced numbers.
“People cannot get the service because we do not have the resources necessary to provide the service,” he said.
He said: “We are putting sticky plasters over the cracks in the hope that the system won’t break.
“The problem for you minister is that the system may survive but the men and women providing the service may not. Work overload is becoming more and more acute.”
Mr Galvin said there had been continuing criticism of lack of procedures, lack of IT, lack of basic supervision and management.
He told the minister the state of the organisation was “a disgrace”.
He received applause from delegates when he criticised TDs on the floor of the Dáil who “tarnish” the good name of gardaí without any penalty or redress.
He specifically mentioned Wexford TD Mick Wallace, who he said was “at it again” on Tuesday when he singled out a garda in the Midlands.
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