Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In the aftermath of the financial crash, as part of the Government's attempt to balance the books through wide-ranging austerity measures, a staggering 139 Garda stations were closed between 2012 and 2013. It was a Fine Gael-Labour Party Government that closed these stations. Five of those properties were sold between 2021 and 2022, which raised more than €1 million for the Exchequer. This averages out to more than €200,000 per property. Most likely, they were sold off at below value given the prices that properties are going for today. Not only were there closures of Garda stations, some stations were downgraded or subsumed into larger stations. This left ordinary citizens of this State without a Garda station in their local subdistricts. Stations that had been open for 24-hour periods were downgraded and opened for only a few hours in the daytime. All in all, the then Government's downgrading of Garda resources amounted to a colossal attack on all rural communities in particular.

What rural communities lost when their local Garda station closed or was downgraded was the physical presence of their local Garda members. Now they get the odd passing patrol car, with no community garda involvement. This decision by the Government of the day was a mistake. The lack of proper consultation with the public was glaring, similar to that which happened when decisions were made to close our local post offices and banks. While some would say some of these stations were unproductive, others would argue they gave a sense of security to the local population and impacted on how safe a community felt. Locals, especially those in rural areas, must now travel further to gain access to their local Garda station, whether to make a complaint or get a form stamped or signed. While some stations were not fit for purpose due to the lack of proper investment, many were upgraded, only to be closed by Fine Gael and the Labour Party. Although those in government maintained this type of restructuring was needed, many rural communities were exposed to the dangers of increased criminality and antisocial behaviour. Rural communities were left exposed and vulnerable. The decision to close these stations was short-sighted, with no consideration for the drastic impact on local communities.

Let us take, for instance, even a county as close to Dublin as Wicklow. More than half of Wicklow's 17 Garda stations have fewer gardaí to tackle crime in 2023 than they did in 2013, while more than one quarter have fewer staff than they did 12 months ago. Ten years ago, a total of 328 gardaí were working in Wicklow stations. In December 2022, there were 308, representing a drop of 6% in the Wicklow Garda workforce. An analysis of more than 560 Garda stations found that almost one quarter had suffered a drop in Garda numbers in the 12 months to the end of December 2022. The lack of a Garda presence in rural areas is leaving people living in fear. Even farmers living in low-crime areas are fearful of being targeted in the form of theft, coercion, illegal dumping or trespassing.

The closure of rural Garda stations during the recession was identified as a significant contributor to the exacerbation of social isolation in rural areas, according to a 2019 report released by the then Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice and Equality, which suggests community policing has been undervalued and marginalised by successive governments. The report recommends the deployment of more community gardaí to the affected areas and the establishment of a rural Garda task force to tackle specific issues. Community policing must be at the core of Irish policing and should not be viewed as a marginal or specialist activity. The report made several other recommendations, including more funding for text alert schemes, a review of policing and other agencies along the Border and the creation of a new rural crime classification to track trends and rural crime overall. It called for proactivity in addressing problems within communities to become the organising principle of police activity, rather than reacting to crimes committed.

Another issue relating to criminal activities includes the need for a dedicated State solicitor for west Cork to replace Malachy Boohig, who retired recently and whom I wish the very best. Jeremiah Healy, of Healy-Crowley Solicitors, in addition to his role as State solicitor for north-east Cork, has been acting as State solicitor for west Cork. As the Minister knows, there are 500 km of coastline in the south west. The former State solicitor in west Cork, Malachy Boohig, in his 36-year stint, was involved in prosecuting some of the country's biggest smuggling cases, with a combined street value of more than €1 billion seized. It is very important that a State solicitor be put in place for west Cork, and it is astonishing that a system is not in place whereby, when we know somebody is going to retire soon, the area would be given prior indication that a replacement would made. The issue is causing great disappointment in legal circles in west Cork.

I am the secretary of a local community alert group. I appreciate that the Minister cannot inject life into everything, but somewhere along the line, those groups will have to get some serious consideration. I acknowledge there are Neighbourhood Watch and business associations, which are important elements involving the Garda working with the local community, but many community alert groups have almost died off since Covid emerged. I pay tribute to those who have spent years of their lives going out on long, cold nights, fitting in calls and keeping people happy in their homes. They may have had a two-year break and, having spent the past 30 or 40 years doing this, they might have felt it was the right time to pass on the job to someone else. Unfortunately, however, it is not easy to find others to replace these good people.

An injection of life needs to be put into community alert, and that might have to come via Muintir na Tíre. There was a meeting recently in west Cork, although I missed it because I was in the Dáil, and one of the members of the community alert group, who was a chairperson or a secretary, pointed out how a replacement garda was needed in the community. She was informed that there had been a garda there for two years, so something is wrong somewhere. A disconnect is starting to appear in local communities. There was a significant drive previously to get community alert groups to the forefront and, in fairness, they delivered in a voluntary capacity, with the Garda, of course, given it is always with the Garda. Gardaí attended the meetings and worked with the local community and, if there were any concerns, whether they were raised by young or old, they nipped them in the bud. I often say that if young people go wrong, they can easily be brought back around if the appropriate effort, care and kindness are shown to them.

No one in this world is perfect.

I mentioned the text alert scheme earlier. It was actually a brainchild of mine about 15 or 20 years ago. People thought I had two heads on me when I first mentioned it at the time. It has become a very important scheme now. Communities are concerned. In fairness, I have to admit that crime rate in my area is fairly low. There is no point in saying any different. At the same time, cattle are being stolen in other parts of west Cork. It is concerning if that is the type of activity that is creeping in. There was a vehicle down in Mizen Head recently and in fairness to the local community, it moved pretty quick. When the Garda went to the people in the vehicle, they said they just wanted to walk around and have a look at people's land and property. West Cork is approximately 70 miles west of Cork city. It was very nice of them to come down in the night to take a walk around - it was night-time, too. We have a fair idea of what was going on there. Thanks to the alertness of the local community people were on top of the game.

Carrigaline Garda station is outside by constituency. Independent Councillor Ben Dalton O'Sullivan has been fighting bravely. Imagine a Garda station as big as Carrigaline not manned most of the time by day and by night. It is an astonishing situation that the population of Carrigaline is left without a garda at very important time. I was just saying to Councillor Dalton O'Sullivan that independent councillors brought that to the fore and continue to do so. Others are following suit now. There needs to be an understanding that Garda stations offer a lifeline to local communities. Whether it is in Schull, Castletownbere, Clonakilty, Cork or Carrigaline, it is important that they are manned. It is important that they link up back to the community. I always believed in the Garda. That is gone well and truly now but there was a big fight years ago that the garda who was appointed to the community lived in the community. In those communities they were very safe when that was the case long ago. Unfortunately now they could be 60 or 70 miles away. That is not for me to argue now, however. It is an argument for another day. It is very important that Garda stations are manned continuously and that community gardaí are not taken away from particular areas. They should be there working continuously with communities, community alert groups and neighbourhood watch groups, which keep people safe in their homes. I plead with the Minister to take a serious look at the community alert groups. I am concerned that these groups, which are a lifeline for rural communities, are starting to slip away.

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