Mayo Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary has accused the Minister for Justice Alan Shatter of single-handedly dismantling local Garda resources amid an ongoing surge in burglaries and thefts in Co Mayo and across the western region.
Deputy Calleary was reacting to reports that Minister Alan Shatter plans to cut 1,000 garda personnel from the force this year as well as shutting down a further 100 Garda stations, including six in Mayo.
“This slash and burn of our local Garda resources must stop,” said Dep Calleary.
“Communities across Co Mayo have been left exposed by cuts to Garda stations, patrol cars, and garda personnel last year. And this year, Minister Shatter plans to shut down a further six stations in Mayo. As if this wasn’t enough, we learned over the weekend that the Minister also wants to cut an extra 1,000 garda personnel this year, bringing the Garda force to its lowest level in a decade.
“All of this is happening during a crime wave in Co Mayo, with dozens of households and businesses targeted by criminals in the months leading up to Christmas. People here just cannot understand why the Minister’s reaction to the surge in burglaries, thefts, and retail crime over the past year is to shut down even more local Garda stations and cut the Garda force to dangerously low levels.”
Dep Calleary said the “appalling attack” on a 96 year old woman during a burglary at her home in Co Donegal at the weekend “must act as a wake-up call to the Government”. “This horrendous attack has caused shock and distress not only in Donegal, but also here in Mayo and across the country. Does the Minister not see the increasing level of fear and anxiety among so many people, particularly those living alone, at this time?” he asked.
“I am pleading with the Minister to look at what is happening here in Mayo and in other rural communities nationwide, and to rethink his attack on rural Garda resources.”
