Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, will be asked to explain why there has been an almost two thirds reduction in the number of Probationer Garda for County Tipperary from 2017-2018. 

Deputy Mattie McGrath has said he will be writing to the Garda Commissioner after the Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan, provided him with the data in reply to a Parliamentary Question on the matter recently.

Stressing that the distribution is 'entirely inadequate and must be explained', Deputy McGrath said: "From the numbers provided to me, only eight Probationer Garda were assigned to Tipperary in 2018, a drop of almost two thirds from the already small base of 21 in 2017.

"We know that tackling rural crime is a real and persistent problem within the county given the massive geographical spread that the Gardaí must traverse. That is why we must see a dramatic increase in numbers as a matter of urgency,” concluded Deputy McGrath.