Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I want to ask the Taoiseach about Garda presence in our rural communities. We know from recent data released by my colleague, Deputy Martin Kenny, that Garda membership across the State has fallen since 2009 while the population has grown by over 11% in that time. Since 2009, Garda numbers in Galway have increased by just 19. The wider division of Mayo, Roscommon and Longford has got 17 additional gardaí in the past 13 years. Those are three mostly rural counties. Crime is on the rise. Burglaries are up 47% in Roscommon and Longford, which is a really frightening statistic. Antisocial behaviour, not just in our cities but also in many rural towns, is on the rise as well. Some towns are really suffering and people are living in fear. We need a deliverable policing plan in conjunction with our communities, and it needs to include additional gardaí on the beat, especially in rural towns. Will the Taoiseach commit to that policing plan?

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