Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Last week, I raised with the Tánaiste the issue of the spate of robberies in rural areas in the context of the vicious attack on Tom Niland in Skreen, County Sligo. Again, we all send him, his family and community our very best wishes as he remains seriously ill in hospital.

In response, the Tánaiste said the Minister, Deputy McEntee, had launched the new phase of Garda recruitment. However, the figures from the Garda Síochána website show that between 2010 and 2021, the number of gardaí of garda rank in the Sligo district dropped from 139 to 104, a decrease of 20%. In Sligo Garda station, the numbers dropped from 128 to 93, a decrease of 27%.

I am sure the Taoiseach is sick listening to me saying that we have no armed response unit in Sligo. The previous Government did a U-turn on the building of a new Garda station in Sligo. It did not happen anywhere else. We are told it is an operational matter. Something is seriously wrong with resources and support for policing in Sligo. I ask the Taoiseach to see what can be done.

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