Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I want to bring up the issue of the new operating model for gardaí. The Louth Garda division is to be added to the Cavan-Monaghan division in December. This area is not workable; it is far too big. We might look at the crime statistics in County Louth, which I think will even take in part of east Meath. In the town of Dundalk we recently had an incident in which three gardaí were injured by a stolen car ramming into them. We obviously had incidents in Drogheda. I do not think I need to explain to anyone the incidents that happened there with regard to the feud. I do not think in any way, shape or form that this is operational. I call for engagement with the Minister from the point of view of stalling, reviewing and overturning as happened when there was an attempt for County Donegal to be put with Sligo-Leitrim. This would be one of the few three-county models and it is in no way workable.

At the same time, that is happening in December. On 6 November, we are going to lose community gardaí. We are going to lose gardaí from the drug squad in order to operate the nonoperational Garda rosters. None of this is good enough. None if this is workable. We need there to be Government engagement to ensure that we provide An Garda Síochána with the resources to be able to provide a fit-for-purpose service for the people out there.

See this speech in context