Sinn Fein have blamed Fine Gael for the shortage of Gardai in Dublin as it is revealed number of members in Dublin has dropped by almost 20% since 2019.
It follows a number of high profile incidents were gardai were injured. Two gardai were hospitalised after an incident in Ballyfermot recently and Dublin Live previously reported on a separate incident where a female garda suffered a fractured arm and finger in the city centre.
A Dublin TD has also recently said garda recruitment is in "crisis". Sinn Fein's justice spokesman Martin Kenny said it is "shocking" that the national number of gardai has dropped despite population growth.
He said: “Everyone deserves to be safe in their community and to know that their local Gardaí have sufficient resources and staffing levels to protect them. Shockingly, an analysis I have undertaken of Gardaí numbers shows that the number of Gardaí across the state has dropped since 2009, despite population growth.
“The situation is particularly concerning in Dublin, as the number of Gardaí has dropped by almost 18% in this time period." Deputy Kenny added that it is not the fault of rank and file Gardai that numbers of members have fallen.
He said: "These brave members are stretched to their absolute limits and are working in unsustainable conditions and have been for some time. Many of the Gardaí working overtime are doing so to cover policing duties that other stations are unable to meet due to a nationwide shortage."
He pointed to the Ballyfermot incident as an example of stretched Garda numbers as he claims the members involved were from another station. Mr Kenny put the blame of dropping numbers at the door of Fine Gael.
He said: “Fine Gael have held the justice ministry for over a decade, and they have abjectly failed to address the ongoing recruitment and retention difficulties faced by Garda divisions across the state. This chronic shortage means many stations are having to rob Peter to pay Paul in terms of covering policing duties in communities.
“Dublin has lost 17.8%, or 757 members of An Garda Síochána, since 2009. While the population has grown by 15.5% in this time, the city and county is being policed by fewer Gardaí than ever before. Fine Gael’s lax attitude to police numbers is appalling and must change."
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