Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this issue and I thank the Minister of State for coming into the House.

I attended a meeting yesterday of the County Galway Joint Policing Committee at which public representatives, community groups and gardaí were present. There was much comment at the meeting about the fact that some progress had been made in terms of the drop in the number of assaults against persons. Many congratulations were expressed on the success in the battle against drugs, and also on the reduction in gold theft, which is a big issue in rural Ireland. However, a great deal of concern was expressed about the figures which show that crime had increased in certain areas. For example, there were 828 incidents in the first two months of the year. There were 81 burglaries, which is an increase of 17% in January and February of this year.

I raise that issue because there is a great deal of concern now that many of the people who are breaking into houses are doing so in broad daylight. They do not seem to care who is in the house. These burglaries are taking place when parents are bringing children to school or collecting them after school.

I hope that a number of issues I raise might be taken on board by the Minister of State and brought to the attention of the Minister for Justice and Equality. I refer in particular to the need for extra gardaí. Recently, we have lost a number of gardaí in the Ballinasloe area. We have also lost Garda cars, and I hope the question of extra Garda cars could be considered.

I refer to north-east Galway and places like Glenamaddy, which is in the Tuam district, Moylough, Mountbellew, Newbridge, Ballinamore Bridge and Ballygar, and Ballyfarnan and Dysart in south Roscommon where these break-ins have taken place. That has led to many public meetings being held, particularly in Newbridge where over 300 people attended a number of meetings. They have called for extra gardaí and that some of the 40 new cars that are being purchased would be available in the north-east Galway area.

There is a need for schemes like community alert and neighbourhood watch to be put into operation in towns. Those schemes were in operation in the past and some of them have fallen, so to speak, but we could renew them. I hope they will be put in place in those areas.

I have spoken to gardaí who are very concerned about people having cash in their houses. I hope some of that money could be put into financial institutions, which would be a safer place.

I urge that the points I have raised be examined, particularly those on the community alert and the various other schemes for lighting, alarms and security locks under the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. I hope extra lighting will be provided in some of the housing estates where it is badly needed.

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