Fine Gael will today attempt to draw Taoiseach Bertie Ahern into the row between its finance spokesman, Richard Bruton, and Minister for Justice Michael McDowell over the number of gardaí on the streets.
Opposition leaders are to raise the issue with Mr Ahern during Leaders' Questions in the Dáil in the wake of yesterday's verbal clashes between Mr McDowell and Mr Bruton.
Mr McDowell accused Mr Bruton of "grossly dishonest politics" and of perpetrating a "con job" after Mr Bruton published a reply to a parliamentary question which showed that the number of gardaí on the streets of Dublin was just two higher on December 31st last than it had been on the same date the year before.
The Labour Party indicated support for the Fine Gael position last night, with party leader Pat Rabbitte accusing Mr McDowell of throwing an "intolerant tantrum" and the Government of an "appalling dereliction of duty on crime".
Mr McDowell said he would not be withdrawing earlier remarks at a press conference in Dublin where he compared Mr Bruton to Nazi propagandist Dr Joseph Goebbels and said he had "manipulated public opinion in a disgraceful way".
He said that, contrary to Fine Gael's claims, Garda numbers had increased by 109 in the capital in the last 12 months. The number of gardaí had risen by nearly 2,000 nationally since 1997 and would be increasing by nearly 2,000 again to 14,000 by the end of 2008.
Mr Bruton said his claims were based on figures released by Mr McDowell through written Dáil replies. These showed that at the end of December last year there were 3,742 gardaí, compared with 3,740 the previous December. "They are the facts, pure and simple," Mr Bruton said.
"Rather than see these facts, the Minister tried to distract attention, cause a political row and even attack me. This does not help get more gardaí on the beat."
He also claimed that Mr McDowell's figures on the increase in Garda numbers nationally since 1997 were misleading. He said during this period there was an increase of 13.5 per cent in the number of gardaí to 12,264, but the population of the country rose by 13.9 per cent. "Even that element of the Minister's ranting does not stand up," he said.
Last night, Mr McDowell accused Mr Bruton of unfairly picking figures which did not reflect the increase in Garda numbers. He said the same period saw a significant decline in the number of headline offences being committed per head of population from 60 per 1,000 people to 53 offences per 1,000 of population.
Two weeks ago Mr Ahern became embroiled in a row with Opposition leaders Enda Kenny and Mr Rabbitte over remarks to the media in which he suggested that sentences for people convicted of murder were too lenient. He made the comments following the murder of Donna Cleary, who was shot dead at a party in Coolock, Dublin.
Mr Ahern said his comments were not a criticism of the judiciary, but reflected his belief that people serving life sentences should serve longer than they did at present, and that this was a function of Government and the Parole Board, not the judiciary.
Meanwhile, Mr McDowell is also facing a motion of censure in the Dáil, which has been tabled by the Green Party in response to comments in the Dáil two weeks ago, when the Minister suggested that people involved in the attack during the Dublin riot on the PD headquarters looked like Green Party supporters. Last night, he said that he would not be withdrawing these remarks either.