Government falters in attempt to deal with rise in Fingal crime

  -       Local Deputy quizzed the Minister on need for action in light of recent robberies -  

​Local Fianna Fáil TD, Darragh O’Brien has said that the lack of Garda resources in North County is seriously impacting on the surge in violent incidents in the locality. 


Deputy O'Brien was speaking following receipt of a parliamentary reply which failed to show an adequate supply of Gardaí in the Dublin Northern Metropolitan Region.


There has been a recent increase in the spate of crime, including a number of burglaries in the North County -  Just last week two violent robberies occurred in Malahide in the space of three days.


“From Balbriggan to Rush & Lusk, Swords, Donabate & Portrane to Portmarnock and Malahide, Skerries to Naul and beyond, crime has skyrocketed. I have once again raised the issue of the lack of Gardaí in North Dublin with the Tánaiste & Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald.  


“The reality is that the Dublin-Fingal area has experienced a cut of over 20% to Garda resources over the course of the past five years. We simply do not have enough Gardaí to prevent criminal activity in North Dublin and I met with local senior Gardaí this afternoon to discuss the ongoing issue and the recent surge in violent crime.


“This Government must wake up to the fear and danger that many communities are experiencing. They must detail what actions are being done to protect the public from this on-going savagery.


“We need to support rank and file Gardaí in the hard work that they do in our community but it needs to be acknowledged that we need more Gardaí assigned to police our community. While other measures such as a CCTV Scheme and establishing a community alert group including local business owners and residents may also aid a reduction in crime.


“Fianna Fáil is committed to supporting our Gardaí and strengthening the concept of community policing. We insisted that increased Garda recruitment be included in the Confidence and Supply arrangement to facilitate a minority Government. This agreement will provide an additional 2,000 Gardaí which will in turn lead to an increase in the number of officers assigned to community policing.


 “I hope that those who are responsible for these despicable attacks are apprehended by our Gardaí and I urge anyone with information to come forward. As a community we must send a clear message; crime of any kind will not be tolerated in our locality," concluded Deputy O'Brien.