Ireland's population is up by a million since 2006, so why have garda numbers barely changed?

"The country was 'coming down with crime' when a moratorium on garda recruitment was introduced in the aftermath of the financial crash."

"In April 2009, then Labour leader Pat Rabbitte told the Dáil that it was 'an unbelievable crisis'."

"Rabbitte stated, 'The country is in mayhem. If the government had not made such a mess of the economy, this would be at the top of the agenda.'"

A moratorium on garda recruitment was introduced after the financial crash, leading to rising crime rates. In April 2009, Pat Rabbitte described the situation as an unbelievable crisis, stating that the country was in mayhem. He emphasized that if the government had managed the economy better, addressing crime would have been a priority.

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