Fine Gael TD for Kildare South, Martin Heydon, said today (Thursday) that the allocation of €2.2 billion for justice reform and investment in Garda resources, in Budget 2015, will benefit local communities in Kildare.
“The allocation of €2.2 billion for Garda resources, including further recruitment, and reform in the justice system is a necessary investment which will be bring benefits to local communities particularly in rural areas. 100 recruits will be taken in before the end of this year with a further intake of 100 in January 2015.This is in addition to the 100 new recruits who entered Templemore this September.
“The current Garda fleet is ageing and the vehicles are reaching their threshold. An amount of €10m has been allocated for 400 new Garda vehicles, which will provide the hard-working men and women of the service with the much needed investment to police our streets both effectively and efficiently.
“I am delighted with the announcement of further Garda recruitment and I am sure that this will be welcome news to individuals and families across the country. Additional Gardaí and new vehicles will certainly have a significant impact in our local areas. While the men and women of the service have been working hard to maintain the security and safety of the State and every person in it, their visible presence on the streets has, through no fault of their own, declined as their numbers reduced.
However, the investment announced as part of Budget 2015 will allow for this to be reversed. We will soon see more Gardaí out and about in our local communities on a more regular basis. Not only will this make people, particularly the vulnerable, feel safer in their own homes, but the effectiveness of having a visible Garda presence on our streets in deterring crime cannot be underestimated.”
“The men and women of An Garda Síochána carry out vital work in our local communities which is of the utmost importance to this Government. I know that more investment in Garda resources is needed but this announcement is a significant step in the right direction.”
ENDS