2 July 2023
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
The Garda Commissioner is the person who responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including responsibility for the recruitment, training and deployment of Garda members.
Commenting on Garda staff numbers in Cork Peter Horgan, Labour Rep has said
“Gardai on the frontline should be supported by the Minister. Senior Gardai have vocalised that they are struggling with resources in Cork. I am extremely concerned at the decreasing number of members of An Garda Síochana. With numbers dropping to 13,907 in November 2022, from 17,750 in March 2020,it raises serious questions about the working conditions and career progression opportunities available to members. The party of law and order in Fine Gael is responsible for this collapse in Garda frontline numbers and all Fine Gael representatives need to explain why the people of Ireland are being left without adequate policing.”
“In Labour’s Alternative Budget published in September 2022, we called for the recruitment of an additional 800 trainees to help tackle the increase in anti-social behaviour, home burglaries and serious incidents of crime.
“As well as the additional numbers of Gardai needed, Labour also budgeted to provide enough funding to meet the request of an additional net 429 civilian staff, thus freeing up more frontline Gardai to patrol our streets and keep our communities safe.
“People in all parts of Cork, rural and urban, want to feel safe and they want to feel secure in their own homes and on our streets.”
Peter Horgan (Labour) is a Labour Party Rep in Cork City. He also works as a Parliamentary Assistant for Sean Sherlock, TD
