An extra 2,000 gardaí will be recruited under the lifetime of the Government, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, told the Dáil today.
Under pressure from opposition leaders Mr Enda Kenny (FG) and Mr Pat Rabbitte (Lab) Mr Ahern said the 2,000 extra gardaí promised in the programme for government would be delivered during the five-year life cycle of the current administration.
"The programme for government's proposal is that over a five-year period that we will increase the strength of the gardaí by over 2,000. The commitment for 2004 is that we will move to an all time high 12,200," Mr Ahern told Mr Rabbitte.
According to the Taoiseach, 98 extra gardaí have been recruited so far since the May 2002 General Election.
The Taoiseach rejected "the picture painted" by Mr Kenny that Ireland 20004 resembled Dodge City 1880, but, admitted there were increased crime levels that the Government had committed €1 billion to tackling.
He also offered his sympathies to the family of Joan Casey who was murdered in her Tallaght home at the weekend.