Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I met today with local Garda management and with Tania O'Neill, the mother of James. She speaks for all local parents and citizens, who are deeply frustrated with the situation, notwithstanding the good efforts of local gardaí and Garda management. This is not just an emotional argument. All the evidence is there, including the Central Statistics Office data showing a huge increase of 70% in public order offences in the area between 2018 and 2019. There was an increase in the region of 15% in recorded crime for the station at Laytown between 2016 and 2019. We have seen far too many gang-related criminal problems in the area, with some residents complaining there is open drug dealing going on and people behaving with impunity. Only 7% of all Garda resources in the community are deployed to the east Meath area. Given the size of the agglomerated area made up of Laytown, Bettystown, Mornington and south Drogheda, we are entitled to expect more. We are entitled to expect a full-time Garda station for these citizens and taxpayers to help them feel more secure and support what is a great community that is set to develop further over the next few years.

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