The Minister for Justice has insisted that the Government will not abandon its commitment to provide an additional 2,000 gardaí.
Michael McDowell told the Select Justice Committee this morning that there would be 12,200 gardaí by the end of the year.
He said the Government would then deal with the question of the remaining 1,800 extra gardaí.
The minister added that garda training and recruitment methods would have to be adapted to meet the Government's targets.
He also suggested that extra capacity could be achieved at the garda training centre in Templemore by moving some phases of courses elsewhere.
