Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There is much concern about the level of policing in our cities, towns and villages or the lack thereof. People feel intimidated by gangs of young people taking drugs and engaging in antisocial behaviour of all kinds. Indeed, in many cases people are afraid to walk down the main streets of their towns and villages. This is a pity. The lack of gardaí is staggering. We never had such a scarcity. I salute the work they do but there are not enough of them and they do not have not resources. The public feel we are not serious about dealing with this issue here. We get pious platitudes but people are being intimidated in many towns in County Tipperary and throughout the country. An Garda Síochána seems unable to deal with it. There is no willingness on the part of the Government to deal with it.

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