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

I thank the Minister of State for his response. Of course, the Department of Justice recognises that preventing crime in rural areas does not just mean putting gardaí on the beat but there lies part of the problem because we do not have gardaí on the beat. If that is part of the solution, and only part, we do not have them. That is the problem. We do not see our gardaí. In towns such as Ballaghaderreen and villages such as Glinsk, people do not see gardaí. The Garda station in Ballaghaderreen is typically closed, yet, according to the Department of Justice and the figures, there are four gardaí and a sergeant allocated to the town. Part of the problem is the fact that Ballaghaderreen is in a huge divisional area. It is part of Castlerea and Boyle, which were amalgamated in 2012, something I have asked the Garda Commissioner to review. It is an area stretching a distance in excess of 67 km and I understand that at night there are two garda cars covering the area. That is impossible to do.

The fact of the matter is the number of gardaí is falling. The number of gardaí has fallen in County Roscommon and the part of east Galway I represent in the Roscommon-Galway constituency. People are in fear. There have been numerous burglaries, especially this year. People are really worried and afraid in their homes. If we saw gardaí out on the beat, it would make a huge difference. I often refer to a meeting I attended last year in a town in my constituency at which gardaí told us that although the town has the worst antisocial behaviour problem in the county, they could only offer us a Garda checkpoint by the roads policing unit. They told us they did not have gardaí to put on the beat in the town with the worst antisocial behaviour problem in the county.

This is a major issue. The solution is a Garda plan. I would like to hear whether the Minister of State's party would it support a rural Garda plan. That could be provided for the next Garda Commissioner and it is something all parties in the House should support.

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