Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I too commend the gardaí in the Deputy's area. I met them and appreciate, like in a lot of areas, that they are under pressure. They are doing everything they can in the interim, as we focus on getting more gardaí. There has been significant investment in resources to support gardaí in their work, whether that is more vehicles, more technology or ways to reduce the workload for gardaí working there. That is an absolute priority for me. To the Deputy's point, it is about making sure we use the resources we have now to deal with problems but to also look beyond that at how we can tackle the root causes and invest in the community. I have to go back to the partnership, which is why this is so important. It is not just about the crime element; it is about looking at the resources, educational facilities and provisions for young people, and what is there other than getting into a life of crime for them and how the community itself can put that plan in place based on what it needs. The Deputy may not have heard my intervention with Deputy Stanton earlier. I hope these partnerships will be up and running just beyond the summer. The sooner they are up and running, the quicker our plan for the Deputy's area can be put in place.

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