Garda numbers will increase by just 116 in 2003, according to the latest figures from the Department of Justice.
Despite commitments in the Programme for Government for 2,000 extra gardaí, numbers in the force have increased by less than 200 since January 2002.
The small rise has led to Opposition claims that it will take 20 years for the Government to achieve its commitment
The figures come amid concerns over the level of organised crime in Ireland, with 17 gangland murders and 20 gun homicides - double the number in 2002.
Between 1997 and 2001, Garda numbers were rising by at least 200 a year, but this rate of growth has been halved during the tenure of the current Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, according to the figures.
According to the data, the Department of Justice estimates there will be 12,011 gardaí on December 31st this year. This compares with 11,895 at the end of 2002, and 11,815 in December 2001.
Between December 31st, 1996 and December 31st, 2001, Garda numbers rose by just over 1,000, or an average rate of 200 per year.
The slow rate of growth has been criticised by Mr Ciarán Cuffe, the Green Party TD, who was provided with the figures following a parliamentary question.
"At this rate, it will take the Government 20 years to reach their target of 2,000 extra gardaí, which they promised during the last election," he said. "It looks like yet another broken election promise."
However, a spokesman for the Department of Justice said the Government was still on target to reach the Minister for Justice's commitment of having 12,200 gardaí by the end of 2004.
This is the maximum size of the force allowed under current budgetary constraints.
He blamed the recent low rate of increase on large numbers of gardaí who reached mandatory retirement this year after 30 years on the force.
"The bottom line is that there will be 12,200 gardaí by the end of next year, according to figures provided to us by the Garda Commissioner," he said.
He said a new batch of recruits were due to enter the Garda training college at Templemore early next year, and between 680 to 700 new recruits would pass out of the college in 2004. This would more than off-set the number of gardaí due to retire next year.
A total of 12,200 members is the maximum allowable size of the force at present because of budgetary constraints.
Mr McDowell said he remains committed to the target of 2,000 extra gardaí in the lifetime of the Government. During last week's Estimates, there was a special allocation of €7.5 million in Garda overtime during the EU presidency. This was to ensure policing resources would not be diverted during this six months, according to the Minister.