10th September 2015
“Squeezed Garda resources impacting communities”
The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors has called on the Minister for Justice to prioritise Garda resources in this year’s budget following an increase in crime, particularly in rural areas.
Speaking following a meeting of the National Executive of the AGSI which discussed the matter today, Deputy General Secretary, John Jacob says, “The Government are currently preparing the 2016 budget and we are asking them to prioritise and indeed ring-fence resources for crime prevention, crime patrols and crime investigations. This includes bolstering Garda numbers in both rural and urban areas.
“We are now witnessing the human impact of Garda Station closures and seven years of austerity raising its head. Increased crime is the result of those decisions at Government level. Our citizens deserve to feel safe and with a positive swing of the economic pendulum, adequate resources must now be re-directed to crime prevention measures. The media conversation has been re-directed to organisational matters lately, all the while people and communities are suffering at the hands of criminals. The orgainsation’s hands need to be un-tied. Previously An Garda Síochána introduced Operation Anvil to target criminals. That operation proved to be very successful and a similar operation should be reintroduced to combat what is happening at present.
“The Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures released this summer show that there were 420 crimes a month reported on farms throughout the country in the first half of 2014. We all know that the fear of crime is always greater than the actual statistics, but we have a duty to ensure people feel safe in their homes, communities and in their place of work.
“Our office has been inundated with concerns around increasing crime in all areas, but particularly in rural Ireland. People need to feel reassured that the legitimate policing authority of this country will continue to be able to provide the service required.”
ENDS
