Almost half of all Garda stations have no patrol car, it was revealed today.
In many cases officers have to travel to their district headquarters in the hope of getting a vehicle or seek out permission to use their own for official police business.
The Garda Inspectorate highlighted the transport shortage in its third report and called for an overhaul of the force's management of its fleet.
In its research, the body set up to oversee reforms of the gardai noted that 43% of all stations, or 408 officers at 300 stations, had no designated patrol car.
Fine Gael Justice spokesman Charles Flanagan claimed the report was proof that criminal gangs are "better equipped than the constitutional forces of law and order".
He said: "We face the terrifying prospect that criminals gangs are the best equipped force in the country."
Chief Inspector Kathleen O'Toole also raised concerns about the lack of official markings on existing garda cars and vans.
The former Boston police chief, who heads up the Inspectorate, said last year only two fifths of garda cars were marked as police vehicles.
She said the figure was surprising in a climate of strong public desire for more visible policing in the community.
The Inspectorate is to draw up recommendations for the force's transport fleet with guideline ratios for how many cars to officers and marked to unmarked cars.
Ms O'Toole also criticised the state of many Garda stations across the Republic.
She said the conditions ranged from poor to inadequate in older buildings while there was lack of space in some of the newer buildings.
The chief inspector was surprised the force couldn't show her a record on the state of all its stations and has demanded one be drawn up.
The report, Policing in Ireland — Looking Forward, calls for community policing to be placed at the core of garda operations.
It also urged a focus high-profile rural policing and the devolution of greater autonomy to the six Garda regions.
Mr Flanagan added: "Government ministers have claimed on numerous occasions that resourcing is not an issue for the Gardai.
"The Garda Inspectorate report has shown conclusively that this is not the case."