A lack of planning means it's unclear how many gardaí are needed to police Ireland.

That's according to a critical new report from the Garda Síochána Inspectorate, which says there are often insufficient members on duty at the right times.

The report looks at policing of local communities and the results are stark.

The Inspectorate says an insufficient understanding of demand for policing services and the absence of an "intelligence-led strategic planning process" means it's not clear what the optimum number of staff is necessary for policing here.

It also finds the force is "well behind" services in similar territories when it comes to the use of technology and data to manage resources and improve services.

The report finds that in many areas the number of community policing members has reduced by up to 50%, including large reductions in rural areas.

It says fewer gardaí available every day in rural places compared to urban ones.

According to the Inspectorate, communities have noticed a decrease in Garda visibility.

Some areas, meanwhile, have no dedicated community policing members in place.

It also says gardaí are often taken away from their core role for prisoner escorts and other functions, which greatly impacts on the availability of resources - adding that it's often the case that the people most affected by this are crime victims.

Speaking about the report, Chief Inspector Mark Toland said: “The Garda Síochána do many things well and their strong community ethos was reflected throughout this inspection and forms a strong foundation to develop a more structured and consistent approach to preventing harm in communities.

“Visibility, accessibility and reassurance are critically important to local communities, particularly those most vulnerable."

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said his department will 'carefully study' the report, and will also refer the document to Garda Commissioner Drew Harris for consideration.