Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Garda on the excellent drugs find in Ashbourne last night. I echo my party leader's call this afternoon for the Minister for Justice and Equality to come before the House to discuss rural crime in particular. As my colleague, Senator Leyden, pointed out last week, rural crime is on the increase. If the State authorities do not tackle this, local communities will be forced to provide policing themselves. None of us wants to see that. It can end in tragic results and people can end up before the courts as a result of defending their own property, as we have seen in recent weeks.We have had a farmer brought before the courts because he produced a gun in an attempt to protect his own property, while those who were attempting to rob him got away without any charge.

That is only an example of what is happening on a daily basis in rural Ireland. While I welcome the fact there is an initiative in the Laois-Offaly Garda district, where the chief superintendent has charged a sergeant and eight gardaí with specifically mounting roaming checkpoints to prevent these gangs coming into rural areas, terrorising the local community and robbing from them, this is something I would like to see addressed in other parts of the country, in particular the Border region of Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Louth and Leitrim, the area I come from. I would very much welcome it if the Minister could come to the House so we can have a full discussion in regard to crime, in particular rural crime.