Labour demands urgent action on Garda resources
Labour demands urgent action on Garda resources - The Labour Party
Labour’s Duncan Smith TD said Government failure to invest in Garda stations and frontline policing is leaving communities across the country exposed. Speaking in the Dáil during Leaders’ Questions today, Deputy Smith said this Government has allowed Garda recruitment to stagnate, frontline numbers to fall, and vital infrastructure to wither while communities in fast-growing areas are left without the resources they need.
He said the Tánaiste’s refusal to engage with these concerns this afternoon shows how far this Government is from the reality facing ordinary people.
Deputy Smith said:
“Families in urban and rural Ireland are worried about safety in their communities, yet year after year they see fewer Gardaí on the beat and stations that cannot meet even basic needs. This Government has allowed frontline Garda numbers to fall, recruitment to stall, and infrastructure to lag far behind population growth. People feel the impact every day when they are told their local station has no designated Garda or when they face long delays for support.
“This afternoon I put clear questions to the Tánaiste about staffing, station infrastructure, and pension reform for uniformed services. His response was inadequate. He side-stepped the core issue and failed to offer any solid commitment to address the shortage of Garda stations or the shortfall in frontline numbers.
“The facts are stark. Only two new Garda stations have opened since 2017. One of these was a replacement divisional HQ. In real terms, we have seen one new station in eight years. Meanwhile, figures from the Parliamentary Question confirm that 129 of 567 stations had a reduction in Garda assignments last year, and one in ten stations now operates without any designated Garda at all. That is an unacceptable dereliction of duty by a Government which claims to prioritise law and order.
“Frontline Garda numbers fell from 12,045 to 11,928 last year, even though overall headcount increased slightly. That means fewer Gardaí available to respond to incidents and more pressure on those who remain. The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors has warned that between 30 and 50 per cent of the force could retire in the coming years. Without major policy intervention, this Government will not be able to maintain staffing levels, let alone increase them.
“Part of the reason is the failure to support recruits and uniformed services members under the post-2013 pension arrangements. SIPTU’s survey of 3,000 Garda, Prison Service, Fire Brigade and Defence Forces members shows that ninety per cent are concerned about the impact of those pension rules. When Government knows this is a threat to retention and takes no action, it is choosing not to fix the problem.
“Labour is calling for a serious recruitment drive, a meaningful increase in the Garda training allowance, and urgent reform of pensions for uniformed services. We also need a strategic programme of new Garda station construction where population growth has far outpaced basic infrastructure. Families deserve better. The Government must act now.”