Lack of resources putting lives at risk, armed gardaí warn
Armed gardaí are warning they do not have adequate resources to monitor ongoing emergencies in the country.
The Garda Representative Association (GRA) says lives are at risk as a result.
The Emergency Response Unit (ERU) has some of the country's most elite officers who respond to critical incidents like the ongoing feud in Drogheda.
But the GRA is warning the unit does not have adequate resources and 21 vacancies have yet to be filled.
In a 2,000 word letter sent to the head of the elite unit, a GRA representative says there has been a reduction in resource allocation and armed patrols.
Concerns are raised about the cutting of garda overtime with claims its left the ERU without the numbers to respond to potentially serious emergencies.
As a result it is leading to claims that unarmed gardaí are on the frontline without adequate protection.
The GRA also claims in the letter that gardaí were waiting hours last week in Drogheda after calling for armed back up while on Friday there was no ERU unit to deal with any call.
Responding to the letter, Garda HQ says it is satisfied they have the resources to respond to any critical incident that may occur in the state.
Louth Chief Superintendent Christy Mangan says he's never had a problem calling for assistance from the ERU.
"If I had information that there was going to be a possible attack I would certainly seek the services of the ERU and I have never, ever been refused the services of the ERU," Chief Superintendent Mangan told LMFM.
"They are a highly trained, highly specialised group of people and they provide very good support for us."
