Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

All right. The Minister is saying communities should connect with the Garda, but that is impossible because of the closure of Garda stations in rural areas. There is no Garda station in Sneem and it is 35 minutes before a garda lands from Kenmare and almost an hour before a garda land from Killarney when gardaí based in Kenmare are out. Communities do not have the same level of interaction with the local garda as they had previously. There were four gardaí in Kilgarvan, but there is none now. It is now served from Kenmare.

The Minister talked about burglary, including the theft of farm machinery. I am talking about elderly people whose lives are changed forever. I travel around the county a lot and have found that anyone who is a licensed gun owner does not seem to be targeted. How do these fellows find out who has a gun licence and who does not? I appeal to the Minister to deal with the crimes perpetrated against vulnerable elderly people in rural areas and villages. I have received many requests for lighting to be improved because people are so afraid. They have a little comfort when they can see up and down the street and there is no one around.

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