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

I am a politician, not a garda, but I hear what the chief superintendent in Meath is saying clearly on behalf of our county. I do not dispute the progress we have made. I attended the launch of the consultation paper on the processes associated with future policing in the State, which was attended by the Minister and Ms Kathleen O'Toole, head of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. I listened carefully to what the Minister had to say on that occasion. If his words are to count for something, we must find a better way of utilising the gardaí coming out of Templemore. We have seen how the deployment of additional gardaí brings significant benefits to communities.

The threats posed by gangs and their wanton disregard for life is a very real issue in my county. Last Saturday, a young man in his 20s was found dead in Dunboyne, having been shot through the head. I noticed the former Taoiseach, Mr. John Bruton, in the Gallery earlier. He lives in that village and knows the threat that exists there. My colleague, Councillor Damien O'Reilly, articulated very well the fears of local people, which have been heightened by the discovery of that young man's body last Saturday morning. We are dealing with the type of high-level crime more usually associated with cities and we must have the resources to combat it.

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