Madam, - Figures given by Jim Higgins in the Seanad and comments made by your correspondent Kathy Sheridan (April 24th) for the number of gardaí available for police duty at any given time make for very disturbing reading.
Out of a total of a Garda force of approximately 12,000, 4,000 are involved in desk duties and 2,000 in escorting prisoners and court duties.
Taking into account the number of gardaí on sick leave, driving Ministers or undertaking other security duties, the actual number left patrolling the streets is approximately 500, which equates to 19 per county.
The Government election manifesto, which promised 2,000 gardaí, is now exposed as a pipe-dream. The current Minister for Justice will be judged at the end of his term on his record. I hope he will not leave a legacy similar to that of his predecessor, Mr John Zero Tolerance O'Donoghue. - Yours, etc.,
PADDY McCARTAN, Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2.