Sinn Féin TD Pauline Tully has said while people in Cavan-Monaghan may see more gardaí on the streets it is likely because the officers have been moved away from specialist units to community policing.
Ms Tully published figures from a response she received to a parliamentary question showing the number of Gardaí in community policing roles rose by 11 between 2019 and 2023 while the number of Gardaí and drugs units decreased by six and four respectively. In what the TD is calling the "running down" of specialist Garda units, Ms Tully said the garda shortage is leading to a "backwards step" in policing here.
She said "ordinary Gardaí indicated" to her that many specialised units are losing personnel to increase the numbers in community policing.
"Community policing is an extremely important function of the Gardaí. However expanding these units should not be done by running down specialised units, which are also needed," Pauline Tully said.
