Gardai should be prohibited from "double jobbing", according to the Democratic Left candidate in Dublin North Central, Ms Helen Lahert. A minority in the force has what she termed "a part time attitude to their jobs".
"At a time of increasing concern about crime, communities, are entitled to know that their local garda is fully committed to his or her job," she said. "While many gardai do their job well, others combine their jobs in the force with jobs as security men, bouncers and landlords."