One local councillor has said a plan for Garda protection drivers for all Cabinet ministers is "totally over the top".
Independent Cork City Councillor Ken O'Flynn was responding as a State car and driver is to be given to ministers from next month.
This is on foot of a recommendation from Garda Commissioner Drew Harris.
It's believed up to 40 officers have been recruited, and a number of new cars have been procured.
Councillor O'Flynn told The Hard Shoulder he believes this isn't something we need.
"I think it's an over-reaction, it's totally over the top - and it's an expense that the country could do without.
"I think the idea that we have to have security for all our Cabinet ministers, for all our junior ministers, etc - bodyguards - I think it's totally over the top.
"We have to examine the amount of threats that are coming in.
"OK, we've had situations where the Tánaiste was hit with a cold drink at one stage... we've had a couple of incidents where people have tweeted nasty things to certain ministers, which is out of hand.
"We have to allow for people's rights and people's freedom of speech in this country.
"And I think we also have to allow people to have access to ministers.
"I think really we are taking the sledgehammer to crack the walnut here".
'Ministers are strategic targets'
Councillor O'Flynn said Commissioner Harris should listen to what members are telling him.
"My advice to Drew Harris would be to draw on the scenes that we've seen in Dublin, draw on the scenes that every superintendent and every local Guard is telling him: that they need Guards on the ground.
"I think the constituents that I represent, and the people of Cork and the people of this country that I represent, would much prefer to see Garda resources going on boots on the ground into their community... and more protection for the general public.
"I fail to see about the need and the amount of threats that are coming into the Irish politicians".
However security analyst Declan Power disagrees.
"I imagine, based on things that I've heard myself over the last six to 12 months, this is based on a broader issue.
"Not about [a] significant rise in threat directly to Irish politicians - but we have seen a coarsening of public debate in western Europe.
"Part of the coarsening of that debate unfortunately - and we've seen it manifest itself quite recently - is the political camps are getting more polarised.
"People are feeling more of a licence, not to just engage in debate, but to personalise it and to get up into people's face - as we saw with Paul Murphy and Bríd Smith.
"I would imagine the Commissioner is basing his threat estimate on the fact that Cabinet ministers are strategic targets".
Declan added: "It's better to be doing this now, than a situation further down the line".
