Crime

Billions needed to bring gardaí up to scratch with policing standards across Europe - report

Spotlight shone on standard of policing after the violent assault of a tourist in Dublin last week

The number of gardaí in Ireland has fallen over the last two years, now standing at just over 14,000. Picture: NurPhoto/PA Images

The government would have to spend an additional €5.6 billion out to 2037 to bring Ireland’s police force to population ratio in line with the top performing countries in Europe.

The figure, which is contained in a recently published report of the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO), show the scale of investment needed in An Garda Síochána, amid mounting concerns over the level of violent crime in the country’s capital.

A teenage boy was charged in ...