Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)

I join with my colleagues in commending Deputy Flanagan's action in tabling this important motion for debate on Private Members' time. People have many worries nowadays, including worries about finances and employment. However, the greatest of these is the increase in crime levels, whether in rural or urban Ireland. This problem is not being dealt with. The number of gardaí on the beat and in towns is falling, while the number who are leaving the force and not being replaced is rising. Morale among gardaí has never been so low. We all have brothers, cousins or other relatives in the Garda and any one of them will tell one that morale is low. If we are to tackle crime we must increase morale in the force. There is only one person who can do this, namely, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. He must show leadership to help those people go out and deal with crime.

The most important issue is that of drugs. The dogs in the street will tell one that large amounts of drugs are coming in. There are figures to prove that more people are being fined and brought before the courts on drug-related charges. The problem of drugs is growing by the day and this is having knock-on effects. Day in, day out we hear about criminal cases in which the young people involved were high on drugs. All communities are being saturated with drugs. This is a problem the Minister must face. The Government has failed miserably with regard to drugs. We are letting the problem run away with us. Nobody is tackling it in the way it should be tackled. If ever there was a time to deal with this issue, it is right now.

Another issue is the movement of people from high-crime areas to other, quieter communities. Recently, in my constituency, a young man was stabbed to death. It happened in a quiet rural village, Lattin, where there was never any trouble, when someone came from a different area. I am not trying to say people are not welcome in parts of the country but in that area there is no Garda station. I hear Fianna Fáil TDs and councillors claiming they will retain the rural Garda stations but in my constituency and every other rural constituency, Garda stations are not being manned, they are being closed down and Garda attendance is being reduced drastically.

I support this motion. We could spend hours debating it, embarrassing the Government worse than what we have. We need to tackle the issues that are affecting ordinary people going about their ordinary lives.

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