Figures show fewer gardaí per head of population

The number of gardaí in the State per head of population has decreased each year since 2002, it emerged this evening.

Amid a war of words between Minister for Justice Michael McDowell and Fine Gael Deputy leader Richard Bruton over Garda numbers in Dublin, the Green Party issued figures showing that in 2002 there was one garda for every 329 people and by the end last year this figure was one officer for every 337 people.

The figures were compiled from Parliamentary Questions tabled by Green Party justice spokesman, Ciarán Cuffe.

"Since Michael McDowell was appointed Minister for Justice in 2002, the ratio of Garda Síochána to population has decreased every year. In 2002 there was one garda for every 329 people and by the end of 2005 this figure was one garda for every 337 people," Mr Cuffe said.

"While Minister McDowell has taken steps to recruit greater numbers to the ranks of An Garda Síochána, it is clear that this drive has failed to match recent population increases. An Garda Síochána is under severe pressure to respond adequately to the level of crime we are experiencing at the moment," Mr Cuffe added.

The Green Party figures could give rise more controversy after acrimonious exchanges today between Mr McDowell and Mr Bruton conducted through the media.

The row started over Mr Bruton's claim, reported in the morning newspapers, that there were only two new gardaí serving in Dublin by the end of 2005 compared to the previous year.

Mr McDowell reacted furiously when questioned by reporters this morning, saying Mr Bruton was like the "Dr Goebbels of propaganda" - a reference to the Nazi propaganda minister.

Mr McDowell claimed the Fine Gael TD had engaged in deliberate and "fraudulent abuse of figures given in reply to Parliamentary Questions, carefully choosing particular time periods and excluding the allocation of resources to specialist units which increased the efficiency of the fight against crime."

The number of gardaí had "hugely increased" since he took office, he maintained, adding that Mr Bruton's use of figures was "hypocritical, misleading and a sham, con-job".

However, he refused to clarify the exact number of gardaí added to the Dublin force last year, instead claiming the dates were chosen because the amount of garda resignations and lack of graduates at the time suited the argument.

He challenged Mr Bruton to a "square up to me man-to-man" in a Dáil debate which he said he would win "hands down."

Mr Bruton responded saying: "The Minister for Justice does not like it when the facts don't support his inflated perception of himself."

In an lunchtime response on RTE RadioMr Bruton denied distorting the figures adding that he "made no suggestion that Garda numbers were down". He selected the figures, he said, because it was consistent with what he had used in the past.

He excluded numbers added to special Garda units because the Minister did likewise when answering Dáil questions on the matter.

Mr Bruton added that aside from the figures on garda numbers, "detection rates" are low, and have been falling over five years.

"85 per cent of burglaries are undetected; in the case of thefts and robberies, nearly two thirds are undetected; of serious assaults, 44 per cent are undetected.

"Now this is on his watch, and there is no disputing these figures," said Mr Bruton. "At times he sounds like he does recognise there are problems and then he goes into overdrive on political attacks on me."

Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte described Mr McDowell's angry outburst as a "tantrum" that cannot conceal Mr Bruton's assertion. He noted that in Tallaght, Garda numbers have fallen by six year-on-year.