Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I second the motion. As Deputy O'Callaghan said, the motion is a response to the many burglaries and aggravated burglaries throughout the country and, in particular, the heinous crime carried out on Richie McKelvey at his place of residence. I send our best wishes to him and congratulate the extended community in Coolderry, including the IFA, those involved in the community alert programme, Muintir na Tíre, and everyone who helped to ensure that this issue was brought front and centre as it relates to the national situation. Having attended many public meetings, I know that there is a lot of anger, frustration and, most important, fear. In response, I welcome the establishment of a task force in Laois-Offaly. It is long overdue but it is welcome, especially when one considers that in Offaly there is now only 140 gardaí while in 2010, before the recruitment process began, there was 148. That needs to be noted and acted on. There is a pressing need for improved Garda resources in terms of equipment and Garda numbers and, as my colleague said, the reopening of Garda stations. The onus and responsibility to provide security is on the State and this is the first line of that defence. It is incumbent on the Government to act accordingly.

As has been said, we want to assist industry and farming communities with the electronic monitoring of their equipment so that it can be traced.

We want to help communities with a more productive method of allowing CCTV, especially off motorways and at the main junctions but also in communities. The onerous methodology that exists at present is proving the need for this. There are associated costs that local communities cannot bear. I hope that under the CLÁR scheme, for example, an effort will be made to accommodate the provision of such facilities in communities to help them.

Repeat offenders on bail should be electronically tagged and monitored, and not allowed to run rampant, as they are doing. Legal aid for repeat offenders should be questioned.

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