There are 49 fewer Gardaí operating in Clare today than there were 16 years ago. New figures show that despite this county's population growing by 10,000 in this timeframe, Garda numbers here have fallen by 15%. There are currently 287 Gardaí stationed in Clare, down from 336 in 2009. Shannon Sinn Féin TD Donna McGettigan says smaller towns and villages have been particularly affected.