Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As stated by my colleague, Deputy Martin Kenny, my party will be supporting this Bill. We do, however, have some significant concerns, especially around the move away from community policing and the fact that some areas, particularly rural areas, will likely lose out on Garda resources.

I will focus on my area of Louth and east Meath. Under the new model, Louth will be amalgamated with Cavan-Monaghan, whereas east Meath will be an entirely separate division. The Minister is aware of all of the problems we have had in Drogheda and the surrounding areas in recent years, particularly that the town was subjected to a vicious feud by drug gangs and with that came violence, intimidation and murder. People were living in fear as drug gangs destroyed communities and the lives of many young people and attacked and intimidated families. The Garda presence was increase and, following hard work on the part of gardaí and the community, the violence related to the feud calmed down somewhat.

We now have the Guerin report, with which the Minister is familiar. It is a roadmap as to how we can improve services and opportunities in the town to avoid something like that happening again. Policing is central to that. Equally central is increased service provision, increased funding for additional supports and increased funding for community supports, sporting projects for our youth and infrastructural projects for the town. That funding has not been ring-fenced, however. During the summer, I attended an initial meeting involving those tasked with setting up the implementation board. At that meeting, it was stated that funding could be an issue in that other groups would be applying for the same funding steams. The Minister stated previously that this is to be prioritised. The question then is why was the funding not ring-fenced. In the context of the funding that was announced for several support network organisations, as of last Friday they have not received that funding. Despite the fanfare around the announcement, those community groups have not received that funding. I ask the Minister to clarify that.

There are also concerns around the loss of resources. Under the new model, the number of Garda superintendents in Louth, Cavan and Monaghan, is to be cut from eight to five. Commissioner Harris has stated that there will be additional inspectors, sergeants and officers. We need to know the detail in that regard. I welcome that Drogheda is expected to be the new divisional headquarters for the new Louth-Cavan-Monaghan division, but the new plan cuts of east Meath completely. I want to engage with the Minister in that regard. I acknowledge that I have seen reports that some parts of Meath currently served by Drogheda Garda station are to be covered by the Louth-Cavan-Monaghan division. That is welcome, but we also need east Meath to be included. Anyone who is familiar with the problems in Drogheda will know that it does not just involve the town, it involves the surrounding villages in east Meath. They were also badly affected. Under this plan, east Meath will continue to be served by Ashbourne Garda station rather than Drogheda Garda station. We know that is completely unworkable. The Garda Commissioner needs to listen to the people on the ground.

In addition, we have the ridiculous situation whereby the Laytown-Bettystown area is policed on a part-time basis despite a significant increase in anti-social behaviour, drug crime and serious unprovoked attacks over the last few months. People in east Meath feel completely abandoned. They are served by a Garda station that is not fit for purpose and only provides a policing service for 20 hours per week. This part-time police presence of the area has been operational since 2008 and since then the population of the area has quadrupled. There are now 22,000 people living in east Meath yet the Garda presence has not increased. People in the area, when frantically looking for help, have to rely on Ashbourne Garda station, which is 33 km away. Who in their right mind could stand over or justify that?

The Commissioner has promised increased Garda visibility and a more localised service. If east Meath remains in a separate division or is dealt with separately to Louth, and it remains under-resourced, as it currently is, the complete opposite will happen. I have contacted the Commissioner about the part-time Garda presence of 20 hours per week in east Meath. He is aware of the situation but he continues to ignore it. I also raised the issue with the Taoiseach earlier this summer and asked him to commit to the inclusion of a full-time Garda station for the Laytown-Bettystown area in the capital plan. His response was that the matter was under review and he would raise it with the Minister for Justice. I am curious to know if the Taoiseach did so. I suspect he did not because I have heard nothing positive back, or certainly no commitment to do so. That is not acceptable. We have an opportunity to solve the existing problems in Louth and east Meath. Unfortunately, this Bill does not address most of them. The Garda Commissioner needs to listen to people on the ground. The Minister and the Government also need to listen to people on the ground and make a start to try to put things right and to do so properly. If east Meath is stuck with a part-time Garda station an increase in population to 22,000 nothing will ever change. All of that needs to be put right.

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