Force of 14,000 promised by Christmas

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern pledged there would be 14,000 members of the Garda, including students in training, by Christmas.

"They will be trained and be good gardaí. There will be 1,743 more gardaí if one excludes the trainees."

He was responding to Opposition criticism of the Government's crime record and the attack by Minister for Justice Michael McDowell on Fine Gael's Richard Bruton, for which he apologised on RTÉ Radio yesterday morning. After the Dáil exchanges, Mr McDowell crossed the floor to shake Mr Bruton's hand.

Mr Ahern was challenged on the claim by Mr Bruton, which had led to Mr McDowell describing him as the "Dr Goebbels of propaganda". Mr Bruton had said the number of gardaí in the Dublin metropolitan region last December was 3,742, an increase of two on the figure for December of the previous year.

Mr Ahern said: "If one excludes the people transferred, in particular the 50 personnel from the uniformed service who were moved, the answer to Deputy Bruton's question is 'yes'. Deputy Bruton will accept that when making a comparison it is wrong to exclude 50 people."

Mr Bruton attempted to intervene, saying the Taoiseach should read the Minister for Justice's reply, on which he based his claim, but he was ruled out of order by Ceann Comhairle Rory O'Hanlon. Mr Bruton said there had been talk of telling lies and he expected the protection of the Chair. Dr O'Hanlon replied that the Chair was not there to intervene in the functions of the debate.

Mr Ahern said he was not getting into a dispute about the matter. "I am told that the low figures of personnel in the Dublin Garda stations in December 2005 was due to the transfer of 50 personnel from the uniformed service." He denied giving the impression that Mr Burton was misleading the House.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said he hoped yesterday might be a "watershed" for Mr McDowell. "Serious crimes are running at more than 100,000 a year. If this minister survives for another 12 months, he will have presided over 500,000 serious crimes which is truly a horrific legacy.

"Yesterday's events showed us that the minister is hurting badly because his policies are not working. It is time for action in dealing with the serious facts exposed by Deputy Bruton."

Labour leader Pat Rabbitte accused the Taoiseach of "rhyming off statistics as if we were insulated in this House from what is going on in the streets and the estates".

He added that crime rates were worsening and, more seriously, detection rates were worsening. Mr McDowell had made a gracious apology for "his entirely unbecoming antics" and he would say no more about that.

"However, I heard people say he did not believe what he was saying. My concern is that he does believe what he is saying and does not acknowledge the concern on the streets and in the estates. He seems to confuse the number of interviews he gives with the number of additional gardaí he appoints."

Mr Rabbitte claimed that the minister was "manifestly overstressed and there are citizens out there who do not feel safe in their homes or on the streets".

Mr Ahern said that while acknowledging some of the difficulties, it was entirely wrong for any member, not least Deputy Rabbitte, to try to portray Dublin or any other city as a lawless zone because that was totally untrue. "This city has the third highest number of tourists in Europe."

Joe Higgins (Socialist, Dublin West) said he had argued three years ago it was a mistake to allow the minister to close the padded cell in Mountjoy because it might be required for himself. "Yesterday's events go to show that."