Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that the Commissioner is the person in charge of the deployment of resources. I acknowledged that at the outset. The Minister appreciates that decisions we take here on a planning matter create the communities we live in, particularly the very big communities that were created in the greater Dublin area. That is the case I was making. I was echoing what the chief superintendent said at a public forum last week and seeking to have his words acted upon.

I have raised this issue directly with Acting Commissioner Ó Cualáin when he was before the PAC a few weeks ago. I showed him the front page of that morning's Meath Chronicle, whose headline screamed "Shock Rise in Crime Stats in Meath". I have written to him separately so he knows the score. This evening I would like the Minister for Justice and Equality to back the chief superintendent and the people of Meath in this cause.

One big concern is that any new gardaí coming into Meath will immediately be gobbled up by the big population centres in Navan and Ashbourne. I can understand that. I am from Navan. I know the pressure the area is under and I want to see boots on the ground to reassure the citizens of my town but I am also acutely aware of the serious threats in rural parts of my constituency such as Oldcastle and Athboy that do not have a full-time police presence. Even a growing town like Enfield that has a population of 4,000 only has three gardaí and up the road in Longwood there is only one. That highlights the need for additional resources above and beyond the allocations that are happening at present because if the current level of deployment is deemed acceptable then the opportunity to establish a proper police force in growing areas such as Enfield or rural areas such as Oldcastle or Athboy will never happen.

The issue of resources I raise is not just one of personnel, it is one of physical resources also. In that respect, there is a real need for a new divisional headquarters in Meath and that has been raised by Garda management in Meath also. Consultation is taking place with the local authority to identify a site and a site has been found but we need the OPW to be proactive given its responsibility in terms of the site. Will the Minister use his good offices to try to get the OPW to make progress on this as a matter of urgency, to ensure progress is made on the site and that the new divisional headquarters is built in Meath? The Garda need such physical resources to be able to do its job as well.

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