KILDARE GENERAL, 5 February 2002: by Trish Whelan. According to Justice Minister John O’Donoghue garda strength in the Carlow/Kildare Division at present stands at 323 gardai or a 10% increase since 1997.
However, while welcoming the additional 31 gardai since 1997, Deputy Emmet Stagg says the Minister continues to ignore Kildare’s case for a substantial increase in gardai. Three years ago it was pointed out to the Minister than an additional 73 extra gardai were needed in the Carlow/Kildare Division to bring manning levels to the national average. So we are still 42 gardai short of the national average.
But the real problem in garda manning levels is the continued use of the 1996 census for comparision purposes for garda manning levels nationwide. Population figures for 2001 show an increase of population in the Mid East Area (Kildare/Meath/Wicklow) of 15%. So it can be assumed that Kildare’s Population has grown by 15% since 1997, garda levels are up by 10%, and we were short by 73 gardai in 1999. “In effect, our gardai are seriously underresourced,” he said.
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