Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree that we need more gardaí. I want more gardaí. The Deputy wants more gardaí. I commend the work of the gardaí we have. Many of the actions I am taking in the Department are to make sure we can attract and retain more gardaí: increasing the retirement age, increasing the age at which people can join, increasing the allowance they have in college and making sure we have the highest budget ever, with a 23% increase. Where gardaí go is a matter for the Garda Commissioner but as more graduates come through the college, we will have more in the coming weeks coming out of Templemore. We have a new class going in in the next two weeks. As the classes get higher in number - and they have been increasing, with trainees entering every 12 weeks - those gardaí will be going right across the country.

The Deputy will be aware that Clonmel and Macroom had been part of a PPP. They were taken away from that. Additional funding has been allocated and that project is progressing.

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