PRESS RELEASE

30/09/2005

Doubling of Garda recruits will see more officers on streets - Kelleher

Cork North-Central Fianna F il TD Billy Kelleher has said the number of garda in training has doubled in the past three years in a move that should see more officers on the beat in communities across the city.
‘There are now 990 garda in training, according to figures released to me by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Michael McDowell TD. That compares with 503 in 2002.
‘We are now on track to bring the numbers in the Garda Sioch na to a record high of 14,000 in the lifetime of this Government,’ said Deputy Kelleher, who is the Government Deputy Chief Whip.
He said the boosted numbers will put more garda on the streets to fight crime and anti-social behaviour in Cork city and surrounding areas.

‘While Fine Gael and Labour are happy to spread scare stories about crime for their own political reasons, the reality is that the Government is taking concrete steps to ensure all our people can feel safe by recruiting an extra 2,000 garda .

‘As these extra garda complete their training, I will be asking Minister McDowell and senior garda to ensure the new officers are deployed out in our communities and do not spend their time pen-pushing in Garda stations,’ said Deputy Kelleher.

Billy Kelleher TD can be contacted on (087) 2580521
Bernard Mallee, Press Officer, Fianna Fail, LeinsterHouse, Kildare St, Dublin
Tel: 01 6183726/087 9173022