Michael Kitt (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this matter on the Adjournment. I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am glad that I too am dealing with an issue concerning County Galway because he is familiar with the places involved.

I am very concerned by the number of raids and attempted raids on businesses in the north east Galway area over the past two months. In some situations raiders have definitely come from outside the county, attempting in some cases to raid two or three premises in one evening or morning. For example, a few weeks ago some raiders who tried to get into Abbeyknockmoy post office but did not succeed went on to Ballygar where they failed again but did serious damage to the post office. Eventually they carried out a raid in the midlands, in Horseleap. In recent weeks some raiders attempted to break into Williamstown post office and succeeded in taking away some goods. They later went to Ahascragh where they raided a supermarket.

People are concerned that in five of the six places I mention a post office was raided. Some of the post offices were in supermarkets. In each case the raiders had sophisticated equipment. In Ballinamore Bridge they had chains to drag a safe out of a post office. Last Friday there was a raid in Barnaderg, near Tuam, in which a large sum of money was taken from the post office.

I call on the Minister to do several things. First, he could discuss with An Post the use of CCTV which might prevent these raids and, second, in line with the review of rural policing some years ago, small vans or vanettes could be used. These raids have taken place between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. Many of those who were raided were concerned that the raids occurred in November and early December when they distribute double payments for old age pensioners. The raiders know there is extra money there. Special attention should be paid to post offices in the months leading up to Christmas.

The trauma and invasion of privacy for people who live on, or beside, these premises is serious. People talk about the shock they experienced when they saw people trying to enter their premises, whether a post office or a shop. I hope this will never happen again. If the Minister adopts my suggestions we can make rural Ireland safer.

I am concerned that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform says the new Garda recruits will be put into the frontline in Dublin. He does not mention policing in rural areas, which is essential, especially in November and December and the days prior to Christmas.