Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Minister on his appointment and wish him well in his role. I have no doubt he will be an innovative Minister. The importance of this issue is highlighted by the fact virtually every Fianna Fáil backbencher is looking to avail of the very small amounts of speaking time accorded to back bench Deputies to partake in this debate. I welcome the Minister's clear statement that he supports the Garda and recognises the strong role of gardaí. That is more effective than those who choose to eulogise an individual who was suspected of being involved in the murder of a member of An Garda Síochána and a member of the Defence Forces, which shows little support for the State and those who bravely don the uniform of the State.

Like others, I recognise the community work done by so many gardaí. I am concerned about garda numbers. Counties Wicklow and Wexford are two of the fastest growing areas of the country. At the end of 2021, the total number of gardaí in the Wicklow-Wexford division was 637. At the end of 2024, it was 617. During that period, because of growth at Rosslare Europort, extra responsibilities have been applied to gardaí in the area. Increased garda numbers are critical.

I will briefly mention two other issues that are important to address. One relates to cybercrime and cyber fraud. The Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau has reported that the cost of this crime amounted to €237 million between 2020 and 2023. This is a growing area of concern. We need more specialist gardaí focused on the area of cybercrime. It is a cost to business and it is not a victimless crime.

The other issue is one also raised by Deputy Lawlor, namely, the safety of retail workers. During the term of the previous Seanad, I brought forward specific legislation regarding criminal attacks on retail workers. There is a view that shoplifting in some areas is a crime that is being treated with immunity. Shop workers are not being protected. We must take a much tougher line on retail crime. I hope the Minister will treat it as a priority.

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