The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has defended the record of the Government on the provision of resources to the Garda Síochána and denied that election promises made by Fianna Fáil remain unfulfilled.
Mr Ahern rejected claims by the Labour Party leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, in the Dáil this afternoon that since the beginning of the year only 51 new gardaí have been recruited.
On the contrary, Mr Ahern said, nearly 1,200 extra gardaí have been recruited since the general election in June 2002 and the current force of 12,200 was the largest in the history of the State.
In addition, Mr Ahern said, over €1 billion had been earmarked to fight crime this year and by the end of the year he anticipated that an extra 1,000 prison places would be available.
Mr Ahern was responding to leaders' questions in the Dáil during which opposition politicians expressed concern over the collapse of the trial yesterday afternoon of a Limerick man accused of murder.
Mr Liam Keane (19), of Ballysimon, Co Limerick, walked free from court after the Director of Public Prosecutions directed that a nolle prosequibe entered after key prosecution witness Roy Behan denied making statements identifying the accused as the killer.
Mr Ahern would not be drawn on what measures would be taken to ensure similar trials would go ahead saying that the responsibility lay with the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell.
However, he congratulated the Garda on the work it had done in the case and said its collapse was no reflection on the professionalism of the force, but an indication of how urgent changes in the system were.
Last night, following the collapse of the Liam Keane case, the Minister for Justice indicated that that a review of adequacy of the criminal justice system in dealing with similar cases would be undertaken. "It would be inappropriate for me to comment in any way which might prejudice any future trial," the Minister said.
"As the Minister with responsibility for the criminal justice system it is appropriate for me, in the light of recent events, to view the adequacy of legislative provisions, resource allocation and administrative practice, to see whether and what changes are required, and to consult with all the appropriate persons and organisations involved in the criminal justice system."