Sir, – There seems to be a concerted media campaign in progress to ensure that senior Garda appointments are filled as soon as possible.
Before doing so, the importance and necessity for these senior appointments should be carefully evaluated to ensure that An Garda Síochána as a whole is not allocated an undue proportion of our national resources, given the very urgent needs of the least privileged members of Irish society, including the homeless, handicapped, and those in urgent need of healthcare.
The recent threats to strike by Garda associations has resulted in over €40 million extra being approved by our Government for Garda pay and allowances, from this very limited national cake.
Scotland has about one million more people than the Republic of Ireland, and its geographical and security circumstances are quite similar, so a comparison between the Irish and Scottish police services is appropriate. While the overall strengths of the Irish and Scottish police services are similar given population numbers, it is notable that the senior officer structure of An Garda Síochána is far more luxurious than that of the Scottish police service. An Garda Síochána has a total establishment of 246 officers at superintendent level or above, while the Scottish police service has at total of 163 officers at superintendent level or above. This is over 30 per cent more for a smaller population.
Crime levels in Ireland are not going to be reduced by 246 senior Garda officers sitting at their desks, and more people will die due to homelessness and hospital waiting lists, if the most powerful sections of our public service keep being allocated an undue amount of our limited national resources. – Yours, etc,
EDWARD HORGAN,
Castletroy,
Limerick.