'Gardaí weary of hearing about grand ideas that don’t have the money to make them a reality'

“Gardaí are weary of hearing about grand ideas that don’t have the money to make them a reality,” GRA president Jim Mulligan has told Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan.

He warned Mr Flanagan that the government would have to fully finance the recommendations made by Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland report.

“Many of its recommendations contain improvements that we have long highlighted on matters such as training, equipment, uniform, accommodation, wellbeing supports, supervision gaps, diversity, transparency and governance,” Garda Mulligan said.

“We want to work in buildings and vehicles that are safe and be equipped with the technology needed to carry out the job of protecting our citizens effectively and transparently,” he said.

However, Mr Mulligan said his association wanted to “work constructively” with the government to see the report implemented.

Mr Flanagan defended the government's record on policing, pointing out that since September 2014, almost 2,400 garda recruits have been assigned to mainstream duties nationwide, including 800 new trainees last year.

“The budget for An Garda Síochána has been increased to a record level of €1.76bn this year. The Commissioner (Drew Harris) plans to recruit 600 civilian staff. which will facilitate the redeployment a further 500 fully trained gardaí from administrative duties to front-line policing in 2019,” Mr Flanagan said.

“I believe that the injection of this large number of experienced officers to frontline duties, along with the new recruits, will be really beneficial in terms of protecting communities,” he said.

Mr Flanagan added that “record resources” are also being provided over multiple years for the purchase of necessary vehicles and ICT investment.

“Over €300m is being invested in essential ICT and a record budget for the vehicles which are so necessary for your work,” he told 160 GRA delegates.

In response to the GRA's plea for Armed Response Units (ARUs) to be set up in every garda division, Mr Flanagan said he would leave that decision to Commissioner Harris.

He added he "didn't have any plans to reopen the bulk of garda stations" closed in recent years.

Mr Flanagan also referred to the violent gang feud in Drogheda and stated those responsible for the crimes which have been committed there would be brought to justice.

“This level of lawlessness will not be tolerated anywhere. Not in Drogheda, not in Dingle, and not in Dublin. It will not be tolerated and it will be dealt with,” he said.