Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As my colleague, Deputy Brendan Smith, outlined, there is a crisis in Cavan and Monaghan when it comes to rural crime

I spoke to the Minister in respect of this issue last week. As I informed him, 16 homes within an eight-mile radius of Cootehill were broken into. The Garda station there operates on restricted hours. The Minister is aware that the force has been stripped of its resources in recent years. The number of sergeants in the district has almost halved. The Government announced a new Garda station for Bailieborough two years ago but not as much as a brick has been laid in order to provide such a resource to allow the force to do its job. Visibility is crucial in order for communities to have comfort and security.

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