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

The Minister was in Cavan, in Ballyconnell, when this announcement came out.

To remove the divisional headquarters from Monaghan to Drogheda comes as a significant blow to Cavan-Monaghan. We would assume that Monaghan should be at the centre of all that. This is also in light of the heinous crimes we saw committed only last week against Kevin Lunney, while we have also had consistent and very organised crime with the destruction and removal of ATMs in the whole area. This is all against a backdrop of a possible no-deal Brexit, which will undoubtedly cause chaos along the Border region. We had an announcement of a Garda station over five years ago in Bailieborough. It is has never happened. In Blacklion, the Garda station has never been reopened. There is real discontent and worry with the announcement to remove the headquarters to Drogheda.

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