We need more gardaí on the streets, says Michael McGrath

Speaking in Cork City on Friday, the Cork South Central TD said: “We have to acknowledge that there is a limit to resources at the moment.

“The Gardaí are undertaking an ambitious recruitment campaign and the Government is anxious to accelerate that in every way we can.

“We do want to increase garda visibility, because it gives people great confidence when they see gardaí on the beat.

“Unfortunately, given the current strength of the force, we are just not seeing enough of it.”

Concerns about garda visibility have been raised following the serious assault of an American tourist in Dublin city centre on Wednesday night, leaving him with life-changing injuries.

It is understood gardaí believe several teenagers are among the chief suspects in the assault, in which the 57-year-old man was punched and kicked and suffered serious injuries to his head, including one of his eyes.

No arrests have yet been made in relation to the attack, which happened around 10.40pm after the man left the accommodation where he was staying.

Detectives have reviewed CCTV from the area and taken witness statements as part of the inquiry.

Angie Willis, Assistant Commissioner for the Dublin Metropolitan Region, said that she believed gardaí at Store Street Garda Station, just metres from where the assault occurred, had “ample resources” to police the area.

“We’re never going to say we wouldn’t like more resources, but we have ample resources in this area,” said Ms Willis.

“We’re making the best use of the resources that we have, and I can assure people we will continue to ensure that we have a visible presence on the streets.

We recognise that our presence presents such a feeling of safety.”

While Justice Minister Helen McEntee has promised additional resources for An Garda Síochána, she accepted that crimes would always take place.

“I think it is the unfortunate situation that crimes will happen and no matter what you do, no matter what resources are in place, no matter what structures you have, people will commit crimes,” said Ms McEntee.

“It is, unfortunately, the case that no matter what city you’re in, no matter what part of the world, we will have crimes.”

However, she insisted that she believed that Dublin is still a safe city to live in, to work in, and to visit as a tourist.

It comes as Ms McEntee also confirmed that Ireland would miss its Garda recruitment targets for 2023.

The Government had initially sought to recruit an additional 1,000 gardaí this year.

Ms McEntee said that there needed to be a more “steady inflow” of members of An Garda Síochána, adding that the Government would consider a change to the maximum age limit.

Currently, people are prevented from applying to become a garda if they are over the age of 35.

“What I would say today, be it in dealing with recruitment or retention — no issue is off the table,” said Ms McEntee.

“We need to make sure that we look at every possible measure that will encourage people into An Garda Síochána, but that will also help retain them when they are there.”

Mr McGrath agreed, saying that there needs to be an acceleration of garda recruitment as well as of civilian members of An Garda Síochána.

“I think we have to try and accelerate the recruitment, and we do need to examine if there is a way of increasing the amount of work that can be done by civilians,” said Mr McGrath.