Law and order - Urgent need for promised gardaí

THERE are lies, damned lies, statistics, and there are Government promises to put more gardaí on the beat. As today's analysis of divisional figures shows, the coalition's record in this regard leaves much to be desired.

Beset by violence, what communities want is a visible presence of uniformed gardaí on the beat in cities, towns and rural areas around the country.

But according to the comparison between the operational divisional strength in 1997 and now, there were 9,128 gardaí on the beat then as against 10,150 gardaí on operational duty today, an increase of only 1,022 nationally.