THE RESOURCES MAY not be in place for Ireland to cope with a major emergency or terrorist threat according to the Garda Representative Association (GRA).

The president of the association Damien McCarthy said the force was reliant “on luck” and if there was a major terrorist incident the resources “on paper may not match those on the street,” the Irish Times reports.

McCarthy said the Gardaí were facing a rising threat from gangland culture, kidnappings, shootings and drugs, the latter of which was financing dissident republicanism.

He added that the threat required extra personnel in the region of 18,000 as opposed to the 13,000 strong force envisaged by the government which minister for justice Alan Shatter told the GRA conference yesterday was a result “our financial and economic circumstances.”

In a speech, Shatter stressed that the issue of public safety was not just a matter of numbers, saying:

What is important amongst other things is smart policing, investigative skill, reliable intelligence, technological and forensic supports and co operative policing across borders.

Talking specifically about the issue of a terrorist threat Shatter expressed his confidence that the force would be able to deal with any potential threat, adding:

I have every confidence in the Garda’s ability to deal with a major incident or terrorism. Gardaí have a proven record of success.

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