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

I thank the Minister of State for her response. I will say again that community gardaí and overall gardaí numbers in Roscommon are totally unacceptable, particularly in what is now the Castlerea district, which has two Garda cars every night covering a vast rural area of 67 km from one end to the other. I would like to see that area reviewed. The Garda Commissioner needs to look at specific measures for rural areas, town and villages, particularly areas where Garda stations have been closed. The reality is we are not seeing gardaí on the beat. When gardaí come to tell us this town is the biggest issue in the county for antisocial behaviour and crime but there are no gardaí to be put on the beat, then we have a serious problem. That problem has to be recognised by the Government if we are to solve it, which is something we all want.

Usually I raise this issue with the Minister for Justice. I know she is tied in that it is a matter for the Garda Commissioner. The Minister talks about the new operating model, more front-line gardaí and more Garda visibility but that is not happening on the ground.

I raise an issue I have raised repeatedly with the Minister and the Garda Commissioner, namely, Garda transfers. Many wonderful gardaí travel an hour or two up and down for 12-hour shifts and then coming home. A number of them in my county have looked to go on the transfer list; some of them are on it. They do not know whether they will wait six months or five years for a transfer. I do not understand why the Garda Commissioner cannot put in place a system whereby a garda who has served two years can be transferred to a base in his or her division that is within an hour of his or her home. It would give a garda trying to build a house or start a family some certainty. They have no idea whether they will be on the transfer list. They cannot get an update on whether they are on it or not. I have spoken to gardaí who have left the force because they cannot manage the commute and cannot afford to pay rent in Monaghan while building a house in Roscommon. It is not working. It is something we can fix but we are losing good gardaí because we cannot give them the little bit of certainty they deserve. It needs to be looked at.

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