Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The heading on the Meath Chronicleagain this week is that Garda numbers in Meath have dropped. I am deeply concerned about the lack of gardaí in County Meath. It is a matter of huge concern that in the year 2023, we find ourselves grappling with a situation where there is only one garda for 712 people, compared with the national average of one garda per 371.

Gardaí are the backbone of our communities and the first line of defence against crime. They are the ones who keep our streets safe and our homes secure but how can they do this effectively when they are stretched so thin? How can they be expected to maintain law and order when they are outnumbered by such a large margin? The lack of gardaí in Meath is a problem that affects our sense of security, our faith in the system and our belief in justice. It is a problem that needs to be addressed immediately.

Gardaí are constantly pulled out of the smaller Garda stations and sent to the bigger Garda stations because of lack of resources while drug dealing, break-ins and antisocial behaviour is out of control. We need more gardaí on our streets, more resources for law enforcement and more support for communities. We need a comprehensive plan to recruit, train and deploy more gardaí in County Meath and we need it ASAP. We cannot afford to wait as the safety of people is at stake and the security of our communities is at risk. There have been reports of increased drug use, violence, vandalism and thefts in towns right across County Meath. The increase in antisocial behaviour is putting a strain on the local community. Residents and businesses are feeling unsafe and are worried about the impact the increase in crime is having on their area. The Garda is doing its best to address the issue but it is understaffed and under-resourced, with many members leaving the force due to rostering issues, poor pay and conditions. In the last couple of weeks, four gardaí quit the force in Kells alone.

I have constantly campaigned for a sub-Garda station for Johnstown, as 12,000 people now live there. We ask for a promise that the people of County Meath will not be left to fend for themselves, that they will not be left vulnerable to crime and feeling unsafe in their own homes. If one garda per 371 people is the national average, how can we expect the Garda in County Meath to operate with one garda per 712 people?

Let us take roads policing, for example. In 2009 there were 1,046 roads police. This year, in August 2023, there are 659, a reduction of 387 since 2009. In July and August this year 19 gardaí were gone from roads policing while in those same two months, 43 lives were lost on the roads. We ask the Minister to seriously address the lack of Garda numbers in our county of Meath.

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