Gardaí 'operating on fumes' and need more manpower
The President of the Garda Representative Association claims Gardaí are "operating on fumes" when it comes to manpower and resources.
The deadline for applications for the latest Garda recruitment drive is midnight tonight, as 300 positions are being made available in the first recruitment campaign since 2009.
Approximately 20,000 people have applied for those 300 jobs.
President of the GRA John Parker, however, said 300 new Gardaí is just "a drop in the ocean".
"It's vital to the lifeblood of the organisation that we have continuous recruitment," he said.
"Over the last number of years the oxygen has been strangled from the organisation. We've been operating from a petrol tank on fumes."
"We've been struggling from one incident to another to continue the level of service."
He said an increase in resources is also needed alongside additional recruits.
