Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The issue that I am about to raise is of the utmost importance to the people of County Louth. As the Minister of State, Deputy White, will be aware, Louth has steadily improved and grown, even matured, since the Good Friday agreement. There is a new sense of optimism and belief and a new and justified sense of pride. The town of Dundalk and the region have benefited from increases in tourism, self-belief and investment. Since the inception of this Government, we have delivered world class businesses to the region, including PayPal, Prometric and eBay, to name just a few. Tourism has increased with outstanding initiatives in County Louth and east County Meath. The natural and unspoiled beauty of the Cooley Peninsula can rival any scenery in Ireland.

These achievements have come about as a result of collective, sustained and selfless work on behalf of the people. These laudable achievements are here to stay and we want to bring further benefits to the region. However, they are under threat if the Minister does not address the issues that I am about to raise.

I doubt that the Minister for Justice and Equality is aware of the problems because, if he was wise to the situation, he would never allow it to exist. How many gardaí and patrol cars does the Minister of State believe police the Omeath to Carlingford and Dromad to Hackballscross area, a distance of some 45 kilometres, at night? In what is arguably the most volatile stretch of the Border, with 36 crossings rife with criminal and dissident activity, there is the princely sum of one patrol car and two gardaí. This is not acceptable. The Dundalk area, including Blackrock, has a population of 45,000 people, but it is only covered by one uniform patrol car. This is not acceptable either.

The situation is reaching crisis level. Please do not allow all of the good work to date to unravel. In order to have an acceptable level of policing in the Dundalk area, personnel are required to replace retirees or other personnel who have been permanently transferred. They number two inspectors, three sergeants and 26 gardaí. In addition, nine official vehicles have not been replaced, comprising three marked uniform patrol cars and six unmarked cars.

These are savage reductions in resources at a time when they are vital. We have all too recently seen the carnage and devastation that the unlawful activities of ruthless criminals can cause. I do not wish to rake over the horrific death of my friend, Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, but if ever there was a time to stand up and be counted, it is now. Gardaí are not asking the Minister to stand up, fight the criminals and keep the people of this State safe. They are happy, proud and honoured to do that themselves. However, they want the resources to do their job. How many of these resources will the Minister deploy to Dundalk and when? The proper resourcing of the Garda in Dundalk is a priority. The Garda is dealing with murders, robberies, diesel laundering, criminal networks, paramilitaries, dissidents and drug dealers, not to mention an array of other crimes.

I would appreciate clear and concise answers on what concrete actions the Minister will take. Gardaí do not need to hear that they are doing a tremendous job in stressful situations or that they are valued. What they need to hear is commitment, followed by action. I want the Minister of State to tell me and the people of County Louth what actions the Minister will take to overcome these issues.

I am acutely aware of the need for cutbacks and, in general, support some of them. However, it is a different matter when people's security is at risk. I ask the Minister of State for concrete answers and commitments that can be measured. A commitment to extra gardaí, sergeants and patrol cars is required.

Just so that the Minister of State is aware, when I comment about these Border and security issues, I am not a jumped up, tie-wearing Deputy who is giving lip-service to his constituents. I am a genuinely concerned citizen. What is more, I have first-hand experience of these Border crossings and the activities that they afford. I have stood at these crossings as a proud member of the Irish Defence Forces patrolling the Border during some of the worst times in our recent history, namely, the Troubles. I know what it is to patrol these crossings in the dead of night. I know the strain that the Garda Síochána is under trying to police these crossings against smuggling, laundering and paramilitaries. It is imperative that extra resources be applied to the region. If the Minister of State is in any doubt, I will take him to see each of these crossings, from Hackballscross to Omeath.

If the Minister does not want to see these achievements unravel, which I am sure he does not, what steps will he take? The people of County Louth deserve to know whether he is prepared to stand up and tackle these serious issues. Is the Minister prepared to allow all of the success in the region to be lost? He does not want the gangsters, smugglers, oil launders, criminals and dissidents to succeed. On behalf of the people of Louth, I would appreciate his help.

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