Garda Reserve ‘withering on the vine’, says McDowell
The independent senator made the claim as it emerged that the volunteer force’s numbers have fallen from 664 to 447 in the space of eight years
The state’s volunteer police force is “withering on the vine”, a senator has claimed, after it emerged that less than a tenth of the Garda Reserve’s budget was spent last year.
The force had a budget of €1.29 million, but only €105,000 was spent, due to recruitment targets not being achieved and the departure of 51 Garda Reserve members.
Overall Garda Reserve numbers have fallen from 953 in 2015 to 447 now, with recruitment paused ...
