Dublin to get 89 new gardaí while Cork allocated just 14

Cork is to get just 14 of the latest garda probationers to graduate from the force’s training college.

The biggest allocation of graduates is to Dublin divisions, with 89 of the 197 graduates being assigned to Dublin.

The allocation for Cork is also less than the numbers allocated to other areas, with, for example, 20 going to Cavan and Monaghan, and 18 going to Donegal.

Gardaí said: “The allocation of the probationer gardaí in the divisions will allow for consequential transfers to other divisions nationwide.”

Earlier this month, it was revealed that less than 3% of new garda recruits have been deployed to Cork.

Sinn Féin's Jonathan O'Brien told the Dáil just 69 of the 2,800 new garda recruits have been sent to the city.

This also came just days after the Irish Examiner revealed that chronic shortages of gardaí in Cork meant just two members of the force were patrolling the city centre one night earlier this year.

Shortages also mean a special unit investigating sex crimes has been either unable to take on new cases or has had to restrict its workload because it is not adequately staffed.

The number of detectives has also been almost halved.

The Garda Representative Association (GRA) has previously said the people of Cork city are not getting the policing service they deserve because they are short 125 frontline gardaí.

Gardaí are, they say, bogged down doing secretarial work as civilian typists are not being made available to them to type witness statements or interview transcripts.

The GRA has described this situation as “farcical” considering there is supposed to be a major push to civilianise administrative work within the force.

Also according to garda representatives, Cork has one of the lowest number of gardaí per capita.

DMR South Central has one garda per 207 people, DMR South has one per 359 people, Limerick has one per 340 people and Waterford - one garda to 411 people.

However, Cork City has - by comparison - one garda to 427 people.

Some 201 probationers began their training at the Garda College, Templemore, Co Tipperary and a total of 197 completed their college training.

Some of those who didn’t complete either resigned or have been held over for the next graduation date.