Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome this debate and support the motion introduced by the Rural Independent Group. Some of the proposals in the motion such as the establishment of a taskforce and a review of trespass laws are good idea. We need to move forward with those. The recommendations of Kathleen O'Toole's report included much of what many people have said about ensuring there are gardaí in local areas. Strategically, the Garda stations that are going to be open and the ones that are not need to be nailed down sooner rather than later. Communities in some places are also willing to do work. More Garda patrol cars can be seen in rural areas during the day. It could be debated whether they are out on checkpoint duty in the morning time. However, between the hours of 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. when much of the rural crime happens, there does not seem to be as big a Garda presence on patrol. Many communities are willing to help work on the CCTV issue. It is a cumbersome task, with many obstacles that have to be overcome and, basically, they struggle.

Regarding legal aid, I recall during the talks on Government formation it was stated that if we were to remove legal advice that under an United Nations measure we could be in trouble in terms of the challenge of a legal case. The Minister might comment on that.

On rural crime, there were hits on a house in Caltra and then the offenders moved on to Glenamaddy. The issue is not the amount stolen but the ransacking of the properties. The fear that such crime instills in an area, especially among older people, is the big problem. Obviously, such news travels. People, especially the older generation, are locking themselves in their homes.

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