Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful for the opportunity to make a number of comments on the motion. Fianna Fáil would argue strongly against the devastating blow to the security infrastructure of the State. The underhanded reduction in the force to an abysmal low of 12,000 Garda members, combined with the jaw-dropping closure of over 100 Garda stations is nothing less than an attack on the Garda Síochána by the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter. At the same time, we have an increase in burglaries, drug smuggling and serious dissident activity. The Government is going way beyond the EU-IMF agreement in slashing Garda numbers to their lowest level in over a decade and in dismantling the security infrastructure of the State by closing Garda stations across the country. Fianna Fáil has put forward a fully-costed alternative budget proposal that reopens Templemore to allow for Garda recruitment and keeps rural Garda stations open. Instead, criminals will be toasting the Minister's decision to dismantle the Garda Síochána.

I wish to focus on the set up and the difficulties in rural Ireland, even though this is a motion that embraces communities in both rural and urban Ireland. In the Mizen Head Peninsula, for example, where I live, Goleen Garda station, which is one of the most remote in Ireland, has been closed. The Minister has forgotten that three or four years ago an attempt was made to land one of the biggest shipments of drugs near Goleen and it was the local gardaí who apprehended the felons, who are now serving long sentences in Portlaoise Prison. Ballydehob Garda station on the same peninsula has been disabled and two banks on the peninsula at Ballydehob and Schull have been closed down. The peninsula is also on record as having the oldest population profile of any rural area, bar one community in Donegal which the Minister of State represents. It is also regrettable that in the last 12 months we have lost the Cork to Swansea ferry, which is having a very negative impact on people in west Cork who want to travel to and from the UK and on tourism in the area. Furthermore, Cork Airport has lost approximately one third of its flights in recent times, which is hugely damaging to the community.

The proposal by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to transfer the responsibilities of Bantry Bay Harbour Commissioners to the Cork Port Authority is something which I vehemently opposed in this House. I succeeded in deferring this when it was proposed by the former Fianna Fáil Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey, when I spoke for approximately four and a half hours in this House on this matter.

I have great respect for the Minister of State, Deputy McGinley, and my remarks are not directed at him. He has a great love, respect and, indeed, grá for rural Ireland. The threatened closure of many rural schools is another difficulty, as is the slow roll-out of broadband in many of the schools in west Cork. Another enormous problem is the mass emigration from our shores, which has probably never been as intense as it is at present. If one combines all of these elements, one paints a very dismal picture of the fate of rural Ireland going forward. I know of several GAA clubs in my own area where problems have arisen because of emigration. Gabriel Rangers, which is based in the Schull area won the west Cork junior football final two years ago for the first time in its history but a shopkeeper told me recently that 18 of the panel of 33 have now left Ireland, a situation that is replicated in many other areas. I am not saying that this is all the fault of the Minister for Justice and Equality. I am simply giving the House an overview of where we stand in rural Ireland.

At an Oireachtas committee meeting recently, attended by the Garda Commissioner, Mr. Martin Callinan, I focused in particular on the closure of rural Garda stations. Senator Whelan made a comment to the effect that they are just buildings but if there are no gardaí or buildings in places like Goleen, which is 40 miles away from the nearest large town, it indicates a lack of status for such places and provokes fear among locals that their local garda is gone for good and glory. When I questioned the Commissioner at that meeting he told me that, in his view, the closure of rural Garda stations was not an economic issue and that little or no savings would be made in that regard. That must be put on record. The reduction in Garda numbers is an issue of major concern, particularly when one bears in mind that approximately 2,000 members of the force are engaged in administrative duties. A total of six or seven Garda stations in my constituency have been closed. The fact that these were the most rural of stations in the area, which were serving an active community, is a matter of grave concern.

I mentioned the closure of the banks earlier. When banks close in areas which have large numbers of elderly people, some of whom do not have cars or access to decent public transport, many of them are inclined to keep money at home. The professional burglars out there who are staking out rural communities and individual houses are well aware of the fact that people are keeping money at home.

An elderly lady was attacked in her home in County Donegal by marauding thieves and in County Tipperary a priest had to disrobe when he had to chase a person who had attempted robbery either before or after mass. These appalling incidents are a retrograde step. It is important to send out the message that our rural communities are safe - I am sure the same would apply to the city - even with the diminishing numbers in the Garda force.

In my view the morale of the Garda has never been lower. The GRA and other representative bodies have expressed concern about the cutbacks in the Garda numbers, overtime and the supply of Garda cars in the community. It is important to acknowledge the tremendous work the Garda does in difficult circumstances. I am deeply concerned by the direction of policy being pursued by the Government, in particular the thrust of the Minister's policies. I concur with the view expressed by Senator Whelan who stated that Deputy Shatter had not the decency and respect to come to this Chamber. The Members of this Seanad may be viewed in terms of the famous film "Dead Man Walking" but Members expect to be shown respect by the Minister.

I intend to support the amendment tabled by the Sinn Féin Members because I think it is important to lay down a marker that we will not take lying down the cynical cutbacks and closures that will affect the safety and security of people in their homes.