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FactCheck: Is Sinn Féin right about how many gardaí Dublin's inner city has lost?

TheJournal.ie’s FactCheck looks at a claim made repeatedly by Sinn Féin.

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RECENT FEUD-RELATED murders in Dublin’s north inner-city have intensified the focus on policing in that part of the capital.

One eye-catching claim has been the one repeated on several occasions by Sinn Féin, that the north and south inner-city have lost 140 and 160 gardaí respectively, between 2010 and now.

Is this true?

(Remember, if you see a claim that doesn’t sound right, email factcheck@thejournal.ie).

Claim: Dublin’s north and south inner-city have lost 140 and 160 gardaí each between 2010 and now.
Verdict: Mostly FALSE

  • The actual numbers are 97 for Dublin North Central and 141 for Dublin South Central
  • However, in response to our queries, Sinn Féin now says the figures its representatives were quoting actually apply to 2009-2015. In this context, the claim would be Almost Entirely TRUE.

What was said:

The claim appears to have first popped up on 25 May, when Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams used it in the Dáil, which he did again on 1 June.

Sinn Féin have since repeated it in two separate press releases, and earlier this month, Deputy Peadar Tóibín said on RTE Radio 1′s Late Debate:

One of the most startling figures for me, out of all of this is that particular area there, the north inner city, has lost 140 gardaí in the last five years.
The south inner city has lost 160 gardaí in the same period of time.

The Facts

16/7/2015. National Economic Forums Sinn Féin leader and deputy leader Gerry Adams and Mary Lou McDonald, and Deputy Peadar Tóibín. Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

Sinn Féin told us the information was given to Dublin Central TD Mary Lou McDonald by a “garda source”, and said “these figures are used internally by the gardaí.”

An Garda Síochána said they could not comment on “statements by named individuals”.

In response to queries for this FactCheck, Sinn Féin also said the claim was based on a comparison between 2009 (not 2010) and the end of 2015 (not “now”).

This is obviously a different time period to the one previously used by Sinn Féin, but let’s check both.

According to figures provided by the Department of Justice:

  • In 2010, there were 693 gardaí stationed in Dublin North Central. That fell by 97 (not 140) by 30 April 2016, to 596. So Sinn Féin are off by 31%.
  • The claim is much closer to the mark for Dublin South Central, where garda strength fell by 141 (not 160) from 771 to 630 over the same period. The party is off by just 12% in this regard.

The sense of Sinn Féin’s claim is right, though. There are fewer gardaí in Dublin’s inner city than there were in 2010, and the decline has been higher than the national average.

gardadublinnorthcentral

Only Dublin East (21.4%) and Cavan-Monaghan (19.7%) have seen a greater drop in garda numbers than Dublin South Central (18.3%), from 2010 to now.

And Dublin North Central has had the 7th-largest decline in gardaí, out of 28 garda divisions.

Nationally, there were 1,431 fewer gardaí stationed across Ireland in April 2016 than there were at the end of 2010 – a decline of 11.6%.

gardafall2010_2016

Here’s how Sinn Féin’s revised claim, modified in response to our queries, stacks up:

  • In 2009, there were 730 gardaí stationed in Dublin North Central. That fell by exactly 140, to 590 by 2015.
  • In 2009, there were 801 gardaí stationed in Dublin South Central. That fell by 174, to 627 by 2015.

Conclusion

This is a tricky one because Sinn Féin revised its claim – after it was put on the Dáil record and in public statements – in response to our queries.

But the modified claim is Almost Entirely TRUE.

In the case of Dublin North Central, their revised claim is spot on, and for Dublin South Central, they understate the reality by just 9%.

But the claim that has actually been made up to now, in writing, on the record of the Dáil, and by two different Sinn Féin representatives, is Mostly FALSE.

It overstates the reality for Dublin North Central by 31%, and for Dublin South Central by 12%.

To download a spreadsheet containing all the relevant data, click here.

Send your FactCheck requests to factcheck@thejournal.ie

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87 Comments
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    Mute Ed Kavanagh
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    Nov 30th 2011, 2:23 PM

    Probably because its would be hard for him to do this without looking like a lying moron…

    85
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    Mute green badger
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    Nov 30th 2011, 3:12 PM

    Why do we have to wait for him to tell us the “state of the nation”?……..we already know the “state” of the nation……ITS IN A RIGHT F***KIN STATE!!!!!!!

    56
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    Mute Paddy Murray
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    Nov 30th 2011, 2:39 PM

    State of the nation is right. It was bad enough before they got their hands on it. After next week we will be lucky to still be a nation.
    A budget that takes 2 days is sure sign of the division in the government. Labour are trying to regain ground on broken promise’s so they have to have their day.
    Would people still vote for FG/lab again in such high numbers. Me don’t think so.

    52
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    Mute Yosser Hughes
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    Nov 30th 2011, 3:46 PM

    Who would people vote for ?? Do you think FF again ?

    15
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    Mute Unitedpeople Ireland
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    Nov 30th 2011, 4:12 PM

    The new Irish Democratic Party?

    http://www.irishdemocraticparty.ie/

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    Mute Gary Keegan
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    Nov 30th 2011, 4:57 PM

    Why does it have to be a party? Really. Can we not elect the right person for the job, give them a short term contract and if they work out great we renew it if not, Next.
    Seriously, I don’t want any of these f*ckers in charge. The word Politician now just means lying scum. As long as they are alright to hell with everyone else.

    31
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    Mute Lou Brennan
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    Nov 30th 2011, 2:26 PM

    Enda the road more like. Hope he dresses appropriately in his Ebaneezza nightgown. Cant wait to be filled with inspiration and the spirit of togetherness. No doubt he will have a few christmas surprises up his sleeve like having to cancel Santa from coming this year or cutting the school leaving age to 10. Still isn’t he a great man trying to bring Ireland back from the brink. It’s not him that will be having nightmares though will it.

    49
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    Mute Paul Kealy
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    Nov 30th 2011, 2:46 PM

    Gobshite, I would prefer to chew glass than hear that clowns lying drivel. The sheep will be disappointed though, Europe’s George Bush still has a 66% approval rating!!

    49
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    Mute You know
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    Nov 30th 2011, 3:09 PM

    Same circus, different clowns.

    48
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    Mute Brian Merriman
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    Nov 30th 2011, 4:21 PM

    An ignorant headline the morning after his Mother was buried.

    32
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    Mute Philip Kennedy
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    Nov 30th 2011, 4:01 PM

    why are we blaming enda and fg labour for the cuts we are all facing? They didn’t cause the problem but are doing what they can to fix it. Direct your criticism where its deserved, ff.

    29
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    Mute Martin O Donnell
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    Nov 30th 2011, 4:14 PM

    wrong…this will be their budget…they were around when things were going wrong…they had the numbers to block bills but did they no sir they did SFA….fg/lab will make things worse…bunch of lying MFs

    33
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    Mute Paul Kealy
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    Nov 30th 2011, 5:27 PM

    Philip…another sheep hehehe

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    Mute Glyn Carragher
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    Nov 30th 2011, 7:26 PM

    Philip with all due respect you are right, FF did a huge amount to cause the problems were are in at the moment, however I think that what is getting peoples backs up is the fact that FG and labour are just “having their turn at power” and are NOT doing anything to fix the disastrous social issues which are crippling the rest of us.

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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Nov 30th 2011, 2:24 PM

    Is it not Howlin who is kicking off the 2 day budget gig?

    25
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    Mute Réada Quinn
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    Nov 30th 2011, 3:01 PM

    That’s what the Blueshirts do. Send out the cannon fodder first

    47
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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Nov 30th 2011, 4:40 PM

    Talk about keepin his head below the parapet wall…before the Toy Show would be apt…a muppet before the other muppet!

    23
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    Mute Dermot Fitzgerald
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    Nov 30th 2011, 5:55 PM

    People berated Cowen for not addressing the nation and people now give out about Enda for addressing the nation. It’s just give out about anybody who tries to do something, or sort the problems. Get yer head out of the sand people.

    18
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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Nov 30th 2011, 6:46 PM

    You’re right Dermot when you say Cowen was useless for communicating with us the people…but I wonder was that better than sitting before us spouting lie after lie? I remember Endas speech the day they took their seats in the Dail…very noble, very gracious but totally disingenuous…the old adage comes to mind…better to remain silent and let people think you’re a fool rather than open your mouth and remove all doubt! Let him give his big speech..but for the love of Christ..be truthful..even if it’s unpalatable…we’ll have more respect for him in the long run!

    11
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    Mute Lucy Lannin
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    Nov 30th 2011, 5:53 PM

    Enda will convince us that Irish people can deal with everything except Prosperity.

    11
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    Mute Martin Mc Cormack
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    Nov 30th 2011, 11:02 PM

    And snow

    5
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    Mute David Higgins
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    Nov 30th 2011, 10:09 PM

    Enda’s mother has just died. I can understand why he isn’t capable of making a state of the nation address this week.

    I always felt that one before the budget wouldn’t make sense as people still wouldn’t know what exactly was in the budget. AFTER the budget makes much more sense as it’s a chance to give justification for the measures introduced.

    Have sympathy people, which one of you would go on TV after your mother had died?

    8
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    Mute Martin Mc Cormack
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    Nov 30th 2011, 11:01 PM

    I generally would, but they did allow TV cameras into the church for the funeral

    5
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    Mute Bernadette Dunne
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    Dec 1st 2011, 1:56 AM

    Did he not go to the Dinner on Saturday in the Aras AFTER his mum passed away that morning sympathy maybe but RESPECT NO

    2
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    Mute Dan
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    Nov 30th 2011, 8:49 PM

    At this stage Enda Kenny is completely incapable of telling the truth. I don’t know if it is possible to have less respect for this man but i’m sure he’s going to put it to the test. FF brought this country to its knee’s before heading off into a nice luxury retirement. And now FG and their spineless lapdog labour are going to finish us off. Over 2 days instead of 1 as well!!!

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    Mute Norman Hunter
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    Nov 30th 2011, 9:37 PM

    your right kenny is spineless no need to listen to him tell us how hard things will be.we know whereas kenny on 200 + thousand and expenses does n’t.all politicans are amoral scumbags

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    Mute Barry Lynch
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    Nov 30th 2011, 9:35 PM

    If he was being honest it would be something like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uQ30Iafg8k

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