Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Community gardaí could be the cornerstone of policing if given adequate resources. They are at the forefront when it comes to problem-solving and collaboration with the communities they protect. From first-hand experience of meeting community gardaí, residents and the local police forum in my area of Dublin Mid-West, I know how valuable community gardaí are to our community. Community gardaí are, however, often hamstrung by the policy decisions of their superiors and the Government.

Since 2010, community gardaí numbers have dropped dramatically, with a 45% decrease in Dublin alone. These cuts to the numbers of gardaí on the beat have exacerbated a growing crisis and left our communities very vulnerable. Sinn Féin in government would increase resources to the Garda, including the recruitment of a minimum of 800 new gardaí per year, with priority deployment within community safety.

The decision by the Garda Commissioner earlier this year not to allow community gardaí to work after 7 p.m. at night has left our areas abandoned, vulnerable and at the mercy of crime and anti-social behaviour. The No. 40 and No. 13 bus routes which serve my area have been forced to curtail their services because of anti-social behaviour. These routes account for 47% of all bus stoppages in Dublin this year. It is no surprise that the spike in these incidents coincided with the decision to stop community gardaí working after 7 p.m., adding further to the sense of lawlessness within our community.

My area of Dublin Mid-West is serviced by three full-time Garda stations in Clondalkin, Lucan and Ronanstown, with a part-time station in Rathcoole. There is no point in having Garda stations if they are not fully resourced. When speaking with gardaí in these areas they tell me that resources and Garda numbers hinder them from doing their job. We have a growing population across Dublin Mid-West, with Rathcoole and Newcastle among the fastest growing areas in the State. Garda resources need to improve immediately or we will see an increase in crime and anti-social behaviour. This is having a detrimental impact on people's lives.

The rhetoric we sometimes hear that we are all in this together does not wash any more with the public. When the public sees the Government voting against Sinn Féin motions on community safety, as happened last month and will no doubt happen again when we vote on the scrambler and quad bike issue the House debated last night, they can clearly see that this Government is more concerned about playing politics than actually improving people's lives.

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