Little progress on Garda numbers - Costello

The latest figures on Garda numbers show little progress has been made in relation to increasing recruits in the force according…

The latest figures on Garda numbers show little progress has been made in relation to increasing recruits in the force according to Labour's Joe Costello.

"New figures I have obtained in reply to written Parliamentary Questions show

that the attested personnel strength of An Garda Siochana at February 11th was 12,151, while the anticipated strength at the end of the year will be just 12,280 - an increase of just 129," Mr Costello said.

He added that the net increase in gardai over the last two and half years is just 244 mainly due to people leaving the force.

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"Serious personnel problems will continue if members continue to leave the force at the current rate. The Minister clearly needs to deal with the reasons why the force is losing trained personnel at such a rate," Mr Costello said.

"This Minister has been lavish with his promises, but these figures show, that as in so many other areas of his brief, he has little to show for his time in office," he concluded.