Would the Minister agree that in the urban areas in particular there is a chronic shortage of gardaí? For example, the superintendent in Tallaght Garda station has put in a request to the Minister for 20 additional gardaí, which have not been and cannot be supplied.

That is a specific matter worthy of a separate question.

Would the Minister agree that there is a chronic shortage of gardaí in the urban areas? Does the Minister have requests from Tallaght and other areas for the supply of urgently needed gardaí to meet the needs of the appalling increase of crime in urban areas?

A Cheann Comhairle, I think the Deputy misunderstands the situation. The needs of a particular Garda district or division are matters for consideration by the Garda Commissioner, not by the Minister.

Does the Minister not have to provide the gardaí to supply the Garda Commissioner? Will the Minister comment on that?

The Deputy should understand that it is a matter for the Commissioner how the forces available to him are allocated between the different divisions.

The Minister is not supplying the Garda numbers——

Deputy Liam Kavanagh is offering; I call Deputy Kavanagh.