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FIANNA FÁIL HAS unveiled its policy on crime ahead of the general election.
Justice spokesperson Niall Collins unveiled the plan in Dublin today, along with the party’s latest election poster.
TheJournal Politics / TwitterFianna Fáil's latest #ge16 poster is about crime. pic.twitter.com/voxuaCV1iG
— TheJournal Politics (@TJ_Politics) January 20, 2016
Fianna Fáil promises to increase the Garda force to 15,000 and more than double Garda reserve numbers to 2,500.
Collins noted that burglaries have increased by 40% in certain parts of the country since 2014. Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald has previously said the increase in burglaries is Fianna Fáil’s fault as the Garda training college at Templemore was closed by the party.
Collins told reporters today that the Fine Gael Labour coalition could have lifted the moratorium on recruiting gardaí earlier than it did.
“When the crash happened recruitment right across the civil and public service ceased, not just in An Garda Síochána. It ceased everywhere.
Straight away when this government came into place they lifted the moratorium on recruitment into the civil service in critical areas as demand and as the pressure developed.
“They kept the moratorium of recruitment and training into An Garda Síochána right up until the back end of 2014. They chose to keep Templemore closed.”
TheJournal Politics / TwitterNiall Collins says elderly people in particular are living in fear as a result of rising burglary figures #ge16 pic.twitter.com/dMIKvZZ08S
— TheJournal Politics (@TJ_Politics) January 20, 2016
Collins said it didn’t make sense that members were recruited into the Defence Forces and not An Garda Síochána.
He claimed that the government “brought the force to the cliff in terms of the headcount and the manpower capacity”, noting it has dipped below 12,500, adding: “There’s 1,500 gardaí who could retire today.”
Collins said there’s no reason recuitment can’t be ramped up now. He added that the party wants a Garda Inspectorate analysis to be done into re-opening closed garda stations.
https://vine.co/v/ieMTmiruOL2
Senator Mary White, the party’s general election candidate in Dublin Rathdown, described the closure of Stepaside Garda Station as “folly by Alan Shatter”, the former Justice Minister.
She said burglars have “very easy access” to the area via the M50 and the Luas.
It’s easy for the burglars to fly in and fly out, and also the Luas is problematic as well because burglars jump on the Luas and hop off the Luas, so we propose that gradaí should be seconded to the Luas … and to arrest people if they’re suspicious that they’re burglars.
As part of its policy on crime, Fianna Fáil also wants tougher sentences for repeat burglars, mandatory sentences on people who attack the elderly, and for criminals to pay their victims a sum of compensation.
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They need to be on the Luas, but for many other reasons.
More selling off state resources to buy party votes. Hmmm somethings/ some parties never change.
Come on what’s next? Free sky TV for everyone over 30!
2 years or whatever being trained at great expense to the state, and to supply Luas with free security gaurds. Thats how I see it. Rediculus idea. Try locking them up instead. Tackle the real issue. The revolving door system is the problem.
Does this mean the Luas will be extended ‘down the country’ to catch those rural criminals ?
We need a complete media ban on these horse shite promises before an Election.
If I am elected I will have all pre-election promises banned.
Vote for Leo.
Voting for Fianna Fail is like inviting a burglar back to your house the next day and handing them the keys to your car.
“Voting for Fianna Fail is like inviting a burglar back to your house the next day and handing them the keys to your car.”
Lol.
They are the biggest burglars in the history of the nation.!
Result: banks bankrupt; country bankrupt; every citizen who owned shares in the banks, virtually bankrupted.!
Cronies with a dollop of nepotism, and a side order of lies.
“Burglars on the Luas” Is she for real.. The lads breaking into houses are driving around in vans and cars in broad daylight. If FF are yapping on about more Guards on the streets why was there six or seven Guards pictured standing around laughing and joking while having a cup of tea with Richie Kavanagh down at their Ard Fheis?
They never stopped the biggest crooks and gangsters in there own party from committing serious crimes against the state(Haughey, Ahearn, Cowen), so they can go shove there false promises!
Same ould shiate from the same shower. Short memories the lot of them.
LOL let’s close the M50 !! Arrest every suspicious person on the Luss! ! I wonder about some of these elected people. Are the completely stupid.
A lot less Gardaí than I realised. I don’t think it’ll ever be above or at 15,000.
Pointless incrrasing Garda numbers to catch burglers if they get off with suspended sentences to reoffend. Better off tackling that issue first.
Or if the end up day behind a desk shifting paper
Or if they end up stuck behind a desk shifting paper
Not much point in increasing Garda numbers unless you increase prison sentences. This revolving door light jail terms means career criminals are in and out in no time. Tuff, long sentences in need to be introduced, the increse in Garda numbers is a start.
Head line should cut off at Fianna Fail wants.
Delusional shysters suffering from gravy withdrawl.
I said at the time that closing that station was folly….. ‘folly that is’ is what I said at the time.
It’s nice to have my suspicions confirmed.
Folly!
Indah, iJoan, grub Noonan, meeehal the snake, a terrorist, the 1% brigade renua, a shower of self serving independents! We have no decent choice for change, lefties are too extreme and the rest are a shower of nepotistic so and so’s. The truth sadly is if I was in power I would more than likely look after myself and my own too, sadly most of us are the same!
I don’t even know how the likes of Martin and that idiot O’dea etc can show their faces in public after what their party did to Ireland. The people who voted for them are no better than ISIS fanatics
Bloody nonsense, if your after robbing a house, you need to be caught coming from the house, not getting off the luas, dart, bus!
All the fantastic news and promises from our politicians of late, we will be a positively utopian society and the envy of Europe and the world before the year is out…. oh wait, there’s an election just around the corner, silly me…
I hear you’re moving south to the new north pole ?
Are you implying I’m Polish?
Is this a Waterford Whispers story? Top quality satire – couldn’t actually be serious I assume…
Never saw Haughey, Burke, Lawlor, Flynn,Ahern, Callelly or any of the others on the Luas so not sure what good this idea would deliver?
This Government may have broken promises but the brass necks of Fianna Fáil after leading us to economic oblivion is mind boggling!
Templemore should have been reopened faster but still shouldn’t take priority over the defence forces , both should have been evenly funded.
An Ireland for all?
Ban the Luas.
Hello
Putting Gardai on the luas in the hope of catching burglars?!. Are burglars even that stupid?
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