The Irish police force, An Garda Síochána, is experiencing a significant operational crisis and "chaos" just three weeks after implementing a new cost-cutting directive, according to reports.
The directive, which took effect on July 1, has led to patrol cars being grounded, cells closed, and four officers injured. The changes stem from a reduction in a subsistence allowance previously paid to gardaí who could not return to their station for breaks. This allowance had covered officers performing security and protection duties at various sensitive locations, including government buildings, courthouses, and the U.S. Embassy.
Sources indicate that policing in Dublin city center has been particularly affected, described as "fractured." The new directive requires officers to relieve colleagues on security and protection posts, disrupting regular duties and leading to reduced visibility. Minimum staffing levels in key Dublin stations like Pearse Street, Kevin Street/Kilmainham, and Donnybrook/Irishtown are reportedly not being met.
In one incident on July 2, a garda was bitten by an aggressive individual and had to wait an hour for a Garda van to transport both himself and the prisoner to a station for processing. The officer subsequently required a tetanus shot. In another event, two gardaí were assaulted on patrol and had to flag down a taxi because no mobile patrol car was available from Pearse Street Garda station. A fourth officer sustained a ligament injury to his hand while detaining a resisting arrestee.
The directive has also impacted the Garda Training College in Tipperary Town, with staff being redeployed. An email reportedly shows the college requesting overtime from officers in Thurles and Tipperary Town to ensure security staff can take mandatory breaks.
Mandatory intoxicant checkpoints are also not being completed due to personnel shortages. Furthermore, officers trained in taser use are reportedly being reassigned to cover security posts, limiting their availability. The Irish Mail on Sunday has learned that the reduction in the allowance has been justified by management as necessary to ensure members can take their breaks, but critics argue that this has failed to account for the overall impact on public safety and officer welfare, violating agreements on maintaining sufficient staffing levels.