Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This important debate is at a difficult time for people in my community, particularly in east Meath and Drogheda. A gang war has been going on for some years in Drogheda. Despite the welcome efforts and supports which the Garda and the Minister for Justice and Equality have put in place, we had a second gangland killing this very week. It shocked and appalled everybody in our area.

I welcome the commitments given by the Garda Commissioner and the Minister for Justice and Equality to our community. They have personally visited the areas in question. Not only that, but they have provided significant additional resources to the Garda in Drogheda to fight this appalling level of crime.

Due to the excellent work of the Garda, some of the criminal activity has been displaced and moved into the county area of south Louth. This week, sadly and appallingly, it moved into a built-up fine estate in east Meath. The people in east Meath are concerned because the Garda actually patrolled the estate in question half an hour before an assassination by a criminal gang of a rival criminal gang member. What the people want is increased resources in the east Meath area.

One concern is that the population of east Meath has grown exponentially. As the Acting Chairman knows, up to 10,000 people now live in the area between Julianstown and Drogheda which used to be a sparsely populated rural area. The Garda station there is physically inadequate. There are 18 gardaí based there, two of them sergeants. They have no operational room and it does not have sufficient opening hours. We need a new Garda station there. I was in communication with the Garda Commissioner some weeks ago about this matter. I do not expect the Minister to give me an answer on that today. However, the issue is presenting a difficulty. The nearest official control centre for the Garda in east Meath is Ashbourne which is many miles away. The Garda station in Drogheda is closer.

I raised this issue with Garda chief superintendent, Christy Mangan, on Monday, the day before this assassination took place. He told me that there are protocols in place and cover for east Meath is provided by Drogheda Garda station which is in the Louth division, as and when the seriousness arises. The people in the community of east Meath are not clear on this issue. We need a statement from the Minister and the Garda Commissioner on this. I know the Garda Commissioner is coming to a joint policing committee in the east Meath area shortly.

Perhaps, when it is appropriate, the Minister will visit the area, as he did Drogheda, to reassure residents that he is doing his best. We need increased physical presence in terms of Garda. The Minister will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is due to visit the area.

The fight against crime is never-ending and drug crime is a significant and serious issue in Drogheda but An Garda Síochána is winning. There is no doubt but that increased pressure in terms of policing, the Armed Response Unit and CAB is making is mark, but we need more. As recently as Monday last, Superintendent Christy Mangan in Drogheda made an application for the retention of the current resources into the future. I am not suggesting there is any doubt in this regard, but there was a serious question raised about the matter earlier in the week.

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