Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that Deputy Lisa Chambers has given me the opportunity to make a short contribution and I will refer in particular to the crime problems in the Border area. As a representative of two southern Ulster counties, they have particular problems with many offenders crossing the Border. Unfortunately, some of the areas to which they move directly from Cavan and Monaghan are parts of the Six Counties that are not well policed. I hear from constituents in Swanlinbar, Redhills or across County Monaghan who believe the perpetrators of crime in many areas south of the Border are people who then can flee readily north of the Border where the police presence is inadequate. While Members cannot change this, I ask the Minister and senior officers of An Garda Síochána to pursue with the PSNI the need for a better policing presence immediately north of the Border. The Acting Chairman, in his role as a representative for County Louth, may have come across similar concerns as those expressed by my constituents regarding the easy manner in which people can flee from the scenes of crime in counties Cavan, Monaghan or elsewhere along the Border area in particular.

Within the past four years, nine Garda stations have been closed in counties Cavan and Monaghan and there has been a serious reduction in the numbers of personnel attached to the Cavan-Monaghan Garda division. Thankfully, we were glad to see the opportunity to reduce Garda numbers on foot of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. Traditionally, at the time the region had a huge presence of gardaí, members of the Permanent Defence Force and members of the Customs and Excise service. Thankfully, the political situation has changed to enable a lesser policing presence, but unfortunately in recent years the numbers of members of An Garda Síochána in the Cavan-Monaghan division have been reduced by 75. This is a substantial reduction that was imposed on an already much-reduced complement of members of An Garda Síochána when compared with previous years. This is a matter I wish to have addressed. In 2010, eight members of An Garda Síochána were working full-time in a drugs unit covering counties Cavan and Monaghan, but unfortunately that unit was disbanded. The drugs epidemic is serious nationwide and many communities, individuals and families speak to Members as public representatives to express their grave concerns regarding the epidemic of drug dealing and the scourge it is inflicting on so many individuals, families and communities. I appeal to the Minister for Justice and Equality, through An Garda Síochána, to ensure adequate additional resources are provided in the Cavan-Monaghan division to enable the re-establishment of a drugs unit to deal specifically with this issue.

In the course of the previous Dáil I brought forward legislation entitled the Protection of the Environment (Criminal Activity) Bill 2015 which was aimed at establishing a cross-Border statutory agency to deal with the issue of smuggling and criminality in the Border area. Unfortunately, there have been too many instances of people with ill-gotten gains through criminality and smuggling, be it of fuel, cigarettes or other products. Members are aware of how damaging this activity has been to business in the Border areas, as well as to the general environment. I acknowledge that in the Fresh Start agreement, the Irish and British Governments put forward proposals to deal with this issue but I do not believe it ever will be tackled adequately unless a dedicated agency is established whose task and duty will be to eliminate the criminality attached to those illicit activities.

See this speech in context