Pearse Doherty has warned garda numbers have dwindled in Donegal with ‘fewer gardaí now than there were in 2009’.

Transcript

00:00 Less Garthi in our streets, less Garthi stations in our communities.

00:03 They are the facts and this is not restricted to Dublin.

00:07 In Donegal there are less Garthi now than there were in 2009.

00:10 Since this government took office Garthi number in Donegal have fallen in every single district.

00:15 We need more Garthi in a street and any attempt to delete Garthi numbers in Donegal or elsewhere

00:20 to cover the government's failure in Donegal is not a solution and not acceptable.

00:25 So the events on Thursday have brought shame to this city and to this country.

00:29 Control was lost but the Minister and the Garthi Commissioner need to be held accountable.

00:34 It is clear that we need a change in leadership and this Minister is not the person to deliver

00:39 the leadership that is needed.

00:40 On Laskank Corlea there is no avoiding the fact that the forced closure of the Garthi College

00:45 during the Covid-19 pandemic impacted on the overall recruitment process.

00:51 The reality is we'd have 1,000 more members now than we currently have if the college had not

00:57 closed but it closed for good reasons. It closed to keep people safe.

01:00 However by the end of this year between 700 and 800 new recruits will have entered the

01:06 college in 2023. 5,000 people applied to be Garthi in our last campaign.

01:12 I think that clearly shows that there is an interest in becoming a Garthi member.

01:16 It's as strong as ever.

01:17 We have budgeted for between 800 and 1,000 new Garthi next year

01:22 and a new recruitment campaign will open within weeks.