Limerick's Garda numbers are set to increase by 20 next week the Deputy Garda Commissioner has announced.
Peter Fitzgerald made the announcement in Limerick yesterday where he visited a number of areas including Southill, where local gardaí have been dealing with increased criminal activity linked to an ongoing feud between criminal gangs living in the area.
Southill was also the scene of last weekend's attempted shooting of two gardaí on patrol in an unmarked Garda car. Nobody was injured in the shooting but a number of bullets struck the car.
Members of the GRA also met yesterday to discuss their concerns for Garda safety.
Speaking yesterday, Deputy Commissioner Fitzgerald warned that this type of incident would not deter gardaí from tackling criminals.
"I absolutely abhor the fact that anybody would be shooting at gardaí, it's totally unacceptable in a civilised society or indeed in any society, that kind of action is totally unacceptable. I would hasten to add though that this kind of action is not going to deter us from doing what we are set out to do. We have our plans for Limerick which have been drawn up very carefully and we have targets to meet, and if somebody thinks that they are going to frighten us off by firing shots at us it is not going to work."
He revealed that 20 extra gardaí would be starting in Limerick next week and added that some 60 new members had started in recent months which almost brings the figure to that recommended by the John Fitzgerald report.
"The guards that come next week won't have the Fitzgerald report written across their shoulders or anything like that, but yes they are part of it. We are very anxious to make sure that we take account of the requirements of the people of Limerick and if somebody tells us that there is a requirement for an extra 100 gardaí we will take that into account," he said.
Meanwhile, members of the Garda Representative Association who met in Rathkeale yesterday described last weekend's attempted shooting of two gardaí in Southill as a matter which requires "urgent attention".
After the meeting committee spokesman Garda Kevin McCarthy said the representatives are calling for a meeting with the Divisional Officer and the District Officer to discuss the crisis in Southill and other areas of Limerick city.