Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. I thank the Minister of State for coming here today to discuss this all-important topic.

I welcome, first of all, the increase in funding to do with Garda recruitment and Garda numbers in budget 2022 and acknowledge the work that the Minister of State and the Department have been doing in this regard. Listening to local radio and reading local newspapers, there has been an increase in minor crime, such as break-ins. In my area, there were five cars broken into recently. There were some very valuable items taken out of the boots of people's cars. You would say when something is in a boot that people would not know that it is there. Certainly, from listening to the radio, reading the newspapers and speaking to residents in different areas, it is in every town and village. It not just in cities. While there are increased numbers of gardaí, there are a number of retirements as well. I would like a debate on how the extra resources that have been allocated in this budget will be used to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.