I raise the issue of community policing. First, I wish the two injured gardaí from our area all the best in their recovery and I thank the gardaí in Dublin West who dealt with such a difficult situation. Dublin West has grown massively in the 25 years that I have lived there. Recently, as the Tánaiste will know, there have been developments in Pelletstown, Phoenix Park, Ballentree, Tyrellstown, Ongar, St. Joseph’s and Barnwell, and we will have new developments in Kellystown. Unfortunately, we have not seen a major investment in community policing resources or youth facilities to meet the growth. Limerick has the same population as Dublin West and it has three times the number of gardaí and three Garda stations, whereas Dublin West has one. Can the Tánaiste give a commitment that Garda management, whom I am meeting tomorrow afternoon, will get the resources they need and that our communities deserve?

I thank the Deputy. I take this opportunity to commend the professionalism of all the gardaí involved in securing a safe outcome to the very dangerous situation that occurred in Whitechapel, Clonsilla, the other day. I particularly want to recognise the bravery of the two detectives who were on the scene. On behalf of the Government, I wish them both a rapid and complete recovery.

The position nationally is that An Garda Síochána has never been better resourced and never had a bigger budget, and there have never been more gardaí or Garda staff. The decision as to how they are allocated around the country is not made by the Government; it is made by the Garda Commissioner and his team, and that is how it should be done, for obvious reasons. Again, I will take this matter up with the Commissioner in my conversations with him.