Micheal Martin accused of hypocrisy by Sinn Fein
DONEGAL TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has accused Fianna Fáil of hypocrisy with their latest proposals to strengthen garda forces.
He said the proposals were galling, given that Fianna Fail engineered cuts to garda numbers in the 2010 ‘National Recovery Plan.’
The Sinn Fein justice spokesman said: “Fianna Fáil are making noises about increasing garda numbers, but their track record in government shows that they do not practice what they preach. Fine Gael and Labour are currently implementing the Fianna Fáil and Troika devised 2010 ‘National Recovery Plan’ which saw garda numbers fall from 14,500 that year to 13,500 the following year, and to 13,000 in 2014.
“It is important that new-fangled commitments to increasing the strength of An Garda Síochána are seen in this context. Fianna Fáil were responsible for engineering a total drop in the garda force of 10%. No amount of PR stunts and statements to the contrary can wash away their legacy in this regard.
“It is rich for Fianna Fáil to criticise the government for failures in community safety when Fine Gael and Labour are following the blue-print as set out by the previous administration. While the government’s record in the face of crime is dismal, it is disingenous of Niall Collins to state that Fianna Fáil could do better.
“Fianna Fáil along with Fine Gael and Labour are part of the consensus for cuts and austerity. As tax breaks for the wealthy tops the agenda, it’s no wonder that community safety has been so compromised.”
