Labour promises more civilians in Garda desk work
Labour promises to recruit more civilians into the Garda if it is returned to power.
The party says the time has come to put more gardaí on the streets and away from desks.
Sligo Councillor Jimmy McGarry told the party's national conference at DCU in Dublin that it is a complete waste of taxpayers' money to train gardaí and then give them positions that civilians could do.
"It makes absolutely no sense to spend two years and tens of thousands of euro of taxpayers' money in putting Garda recruits through Templemore, providing them with the skills and forensic techniques required for modern policing, and then put them sitting behind a desk filling out forms."
