Shatter: 'Unrealistic' to look for increase in garda numbers

Justice Minister Alan Shatter has said an increase in the number of gardaí is "unrealistic", and that expenditure must be reduced, not increased.

Mr Shatter rejected calls from gardaí to abandon plans to reduce the number of gardaí from just over 14,000 to 13,000.

Rank and file officers claim cutting the numbers in the force amounts to "reckless endangerment".

But Minister Shatter said cuts simply had to made.

"The job of this Government is to reduce public expenditure, not to increase it. Unfortunately, that is as applicable across the justice sector as it is in other sectors," he said.

"It is unrealistic to see an expansion in garda numbers at this time."