Breathnach hits out at Government over rise in urban and rural crime

Cllr Declan Breathnach

Fianna Fáil General Election candidate Declan Breathnach has hit out at the Government for the rise in urban and rural crime in the last few years.

He says their cynical attempts to blame everyone else for the rising problems, as well as increased isolation in rural communities, will not wash with voters when the country goes to the polls either before or after Christmas.

In the build-up to the impending election, Cllr Breathnach has called on the Government to adequately resource Gardaí to ensure they are best placed to tackle growing crime rates.

He said: “In 2010 there were 314 Gardaí based in stations across Louth but by February this year that number was down 35 to 279. Fine Gael and Labour have allowed the strength of the Garda force to drop below 12,800 nationally and closed almost 140 local Garda stations across the country.  In fact this Government’s commitment to rural communities has been abysmal.

“Communities in Louth are feeling increasingly isolated by the withdrawal of Government services.  Ensuring the public are protected from criminals is a basic obligation of the Government and Fine Gael and Labour are failing in their duty.

“I welcome the fact that the number of Gardaí is starting to increase but I believe the strength of the Garda force was allowed to fall to a dangerously low level, dropping below 12,800 as of June this year.  There are a further 1,498 officers eligible to retire this year.  Fianna Fáil has committed to restoring the manpower of An Garda Síochána to 14,000.  We need an appropriate and safe domestic policing and security strategy in place for all our communities in Louth and restoring Garda numbers to this critical level is key to that.

“In recent weeks the government has finally woken up to the crime wave in rural communities and is bringing forward legislation in response to the rise in burglaries.  Fine Gael has also cynically sought to blame everyone else for the rise in crime and fall in morale amongst Gardaí.  Our rural communities feel more vulnerable and more isolated because of the policies pursued by this government.  Fine Gael and Labour cannot hide from that reality and their attempts to blame everyone else won’t wash with voters in Louth,” said the Knockbridge man.

Locals urged to manually lock their cars after spate of thefts

Local motorists have been warned about a crime syndicate who are using blockers to prevent people from locking their cars before taking items from their vehicles.

The latest incident occurred at the car park outside Lidl, opposite St Helena’s Park, on Thursday when a woman had her laptop and handbag stolen from her supposedly locked car.

This was the fourth such incident to occur in the town this week.

Thieves are able to record and playback the car’s locking code when people click the button on their keys to lock the vehicle. They can then take your possessions and lock the car again before driving off.

People are encouraged to manually lock their car if it all possible.

Anyone with information on the thefts is asked to contact Dundalk Garda Station.

Muirhevnamor named as one of the most troubled estates in the country

Muirhevnamor

Muirhevnamor has been named as one of the country’s most troubled housing estates in what is sure to be a controversial article in The Sunday World.

In an article entitled ‘Estates of fear’ – published at the weekend – report Eamon Dillon names the Dundalk estate as one dealing with “the twin parasites of anti-social behaviour and organised crime.”

Muirhevnamor was one of nine estates around the country listed in the article and the only one outside of Dublin and Limerick.

Commenting on Muirhevnamor, the article read: “Gun and arson attacks this summer have highlighted how serious criminals have established a presence in this huge estate in Dundalk. 
One gun attack this summer was a reckless and dangerous attack which could easily have cost the life of an innocent bystander. Criminals with paramilitary connections have allowed serious crime to become embedded in the region.”

You can read the article here.

Personally speaking, we here at Talk of the Town feel this is a very harsh assessment of any area where there are many genuine people and families residing. Let us know your opinion.

Kirk calls for extra Garda resources following rise in number of local burglaries

Seamus Kirk TD

Local Fianna Fáil TD Seamus Kirk has called for extra Garda resources following increases in a number of serious crimes in the county.

The latest CSO crime figures reveal substantial rises in burglary-related offences in the first three months of the year.

Commenting on the matter, Deputy Kirk said: “A number of organisations have contacted me in recent weeks expressing concern about a spate of robberies in rural areas. The figures from the CSO appear to back up the belief that crime in the area is on the rise.  Between January and March this year there were 75 assaults in the Louth Garda Division.  There were also 287 burglaries and 478 theft offences committed during that time.  All of these offences are significantly higher than for the same period in 2013.

“Many communities across the county are living in fear, particularly those living in isolated and rural areas. They have seen their local Gardaí deployed elsewhere and are concerned about crime sprees in their areas. People living alone are particularly anxious and are worried about being targeted by criminals.

“Garda resources in Louth have been severely depleted by this Government. Officers are going above and beyond the call of duty and carrying out their work in extremely constrained conditions.  Technology, equipment and Garda vehicles are all in urgent need of upgrading.  It is no coincidence that there has been an increase in crime at a time when the force is stretched to the limit. It is little wonder that Garda morale is on the floor, and it is an issue that needs to be addressed swiftly.

“We need to maintain a strong Garda presence in border areas, yet the Minister has not sanctioned any additional resources for the region.  In fact, the recruitment of new Gardaí has been deferred once again.  The Minister cannot afford to neglect falling Garda numbers any longer.  It is imperative that we have a robust frontline force, which is visible and active in the community and I would urge her to address the resources and staffing issue without delay.”

Louth County Council and An Garda Síochána invite you to have your say

New Louth County Council chairman Cllr Oliver Tully

Louth County Council and An Garda Síochána are conducting a community safety survey as part of their ongoing partnership approach to improving the daily lives of people living, working and visiting in the county.

Due to the unprecedented interest in the survey, which is currently being rolled out across the county, the closing date has been extended to Friday August 22.

Conducted under the aegis of the Louth Joint Policing Committee together with the Peace and Reconciliation Partnership, the survey seeks the views of a broad range of interest groups from young people, older people and the business community to the many intra-cultural groups, and other stakeholders, and asks them to comment about the impact of crime, vandalism and anti-social behaviour on their daily lives. The outcome will be a community safety strategy, based on a co-ordinated, partnership-based approach to policing, where the agencies will work with local communities in a collaborative, action-based, problem-solving way to address issues of concern to them.

Welcoming the initiative, the Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council Cllr Oliver Tully said that in the light of constrained budgetary resources, people needed to adopt a partnership approach in order to make Louth a better place.

“There is something in this for everyone” he said.

“Now more than ever, we have an opportunity to sit down with all the different groups – who are contributing very positively in many different ways – to discuss how we can engage with local residents and those working on the ground to listen to their concerns, and help them resolve any problems they may have.”

Encouraging all local residents to participate in the survey, Joan Martin, the newly-appointed Chief Executive of Louth County Council noted that the community safety strategy will support the valuable work already being done by all the statutory agencies, in County Louth, while building on the Peace III programme’s excellent work across a number of aspects of social and community life.

“Improving quality of life for people in Co Louth is one of the County Council’s main aims” she said, “and we look forward to continuing our good work with agencies and local residents in a targeted way to improve conditions at local level”.

Garda Chief Supt Pat McGee said that An Garda Síochána is committed to getting feedback from as many people as possible.

“Your views are important to us,” he said.

“We want to know what you think and how you feel about community safety, and we invite everybody to participate in this confidential survey. Its results will be used by the Louth Joint Policing Committee and the Louth Peace and Reconciliation Partnership to develop a Community Safety Strategy for County Louth so that people, no matter who they are or where they live, can get on with one another without fear of crime, conflict or anti-social behaviour.”

Share your views and complete this survey by Friday August 22. Log on to www.louthcoco.ie and follow the links, or click directly on:
Young Person’s Community Safety Survey: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1698936/1406130
General Community Safety Survey : http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1699586/1406131
Business Survey: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1700699/1406132 to complete this survey

For further information, call Valerie Artherton, Peace and Reconciliation Partnership, Louth Co Council, Boyne Centre, Drogheda on 041 9876161. This project is supported by the PEACE 111 Programme managed for the Special European Union Programmes Body by Co Louth Peace and Reconciliation Partnership.

Egan added to Fianna Fáil ticket in Dundalk South for local elections

Stephen Egan, who will be running for Fianna Fáil in the forthcoming local elections

Local businessman Stephen Egan was recently confirmed as Fianna Fáil’s second candidate in the Dundalk South constituency for the forthcoming local elections.

The Blackrock man, who runs Panama Coffee in the Market Square in Dundalk, will be running alongside Declan Breathnach in May’s election.

Son of the late Paddy Egan of the ESB and Ann Egan, the former principal of Blackrock primary school, Stephen – like many others of his generation – was forced to emigrate in the 1990s. During that period he was based in Luxembourg and South America, where he worked in the financial markets.

He returned to live in Blackrock and set up Panama Coffee in 2012, where he currently employs four people.

Stephen is a past pupil of St Mary’s College in Dundalk and has a degree in European business with French from the University of Ulster. Fluent in French and Spanish, he has also recently been studying for an MBA.

Married to Anna and a father of two, Stephen is a keen sports enthusiast having played minor GAA with the Geraldines and Louth and rugby with Dundalk RFC and Leinster U-18s. He also won several international caps with the Luxembourg national team during his time there.

Stephen said he is proud to be representing Fianna Fáil in the forthcoming elections and said: “I want to hear from local families, individuals and community groups and find out what really matters to them and how we can work together for a better, more prosperous community in the area.

“I want to be a positive voice for the region,” he said.

Amongst the areas Stephen has identified as needing attention in the area are:

• Sports Facilities : There is an urgent need for more sports facilities including tennis courts and a proper all weather running track in the area for young people.
• Job creation and training through a local business enterprise scheme.
• Stop Crime Initiative (SCI) through the development of an integrated community watch scheme with the help of local Gardai to halt the recent rise in break ins and thefts. I propose the establishment of a broad CCTV network throughout the area to monitor and prevent criminal activity.
• Positive Ageing: Further expand the Louth Positive Ageing scheme with the development of further activities and health resources for the elderly.

Adams and Carthy address Omeath meeting on threats to rural Ireland

Sinn Féin European election candidate Matt Carthy, party president and Louth TD Gerry Adams and local councillors Edel Corrigan and Jim Loughran at the Sinn Féin meeting in Omeath last night

Louth TD and Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams and EU party candidate Matt Carthy last night addressed a meeting in the Granvue Hotel in Omeath.

The event focused on the crisis in rural areas and the threats posed to rural communities by rural crime and the threat to the post offices. The Narrow Water Bridge and future European funding for the area were also discussed.

Deputy Adams urged those present to support Matt Carthy who is standing for Sinn Féin in the European elections.

“Matt is an enthusiastic and energetic public representative. He will make an excellent MEP representing the needs of this area in Europe.”

The Sinn Féin leader warned that “at a time when rural Ireland is under attack and thousands of citizens, mainly young people, have been forced to emigrate, we need an MEP and a strong team of Sinn Féin local councillors who will defend rural Ireland and prioritise its needs.

“The policies of Fine Gael and Labour; including the property tax, septic tank charges, water charges later this year and other stealth taxes are impoverishing families and hurting rural communities.”

Adams also called on the government to take action to protect rural post offices.

“The recent report from the Irish Postmasters Union warns that the postal network will have declined by 48% by 2017 without a proper government plan. This would be devastating for rural communities and must be opposed.

“Sinn Féin is for equality of access to services, and greater investment in infrastructure and facilities outside of urban centres.”

Speaking on rural crime Mr Adams said: “One of the biggest issues now facing rural communities is crime and the fear that crime generates, especially among vulnerable citizens. Many elderly people in rural Ireland feel that they have been abandoned.

“The closure of Garda stations has put the safety of communities at risk as criminals and anti-social elements receive a boost of confidence in the absence of nearby Garda stations.

“The Irish Farmers’ Association, the Garda Representatives Association, political representatives from across rural Ireland and the vast majority of Gardaí, have rejected Garda station closures as they know the value of community policing.

“County Louth ranks fourth among the 26 counties for crime levels.

“Recently myself and Councillors Edel Corrigan and Jim Loughran met both An Garda Siochaná on the issues of policing, crime levels and cross-border crime. I have also met senior PSNI officers.

“Gardaí have acknowledged that the limited resources under which they have operated for many years, have now been cut further and that this is having a negative impact on policing.

“In recent responses to my parliamentary questions the Minister for Justice revealed that Garda numbers in Louth have fallen from a high in 2010 of 314 Gardaí to a low in 2013 of 286.

“Falling Garda resources will do nothing to reassure the community. What we need to see is a fully-resourced Garda plan for Louth which includes greater Garda visibility and an increase in community-based Gardaí.”

The Louth TD called for greater emphasis on partnership policing between communities and the Garda.

He said: “We need effective partnership between the police and local communities. The Department of Justice and Equality must give proper recognition and resourcing to such groups.

“Sinn Féin will continue to lobby the Minister for Justice on concluding the review of the Joint Policing Committees and will seek to ensure that the recommendations are effective and implemented.

“Sinn Fein will also lobby the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney to be more pro-active in conjunction with the IFA in relation to security on the farm. In the north, Sinn Féin Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill has made this a priority.

“The issue of crime and anti-social behaviour in this region cannot be separated from the general economic well-being and development of the county.”

Deputy Adams also called for a proper funding package to be put in place by government to deliver the Narrow Water Bridge.

He said: “The failure of the Government to ensure that the Narrow Water Bridge was built is an opportunity missed. It has been a bad blow to County Louth.

“Money from Europe became available through the Special European Union Programmes Body because of an under-spend and Sinn Féin Cllr Jim Loughran asserting a judicial challenge. The money offered was not enough to cover the costs and the project promoters were not in a position to raise the extra capital to cover the shortfall.

“The government needed to provide a relatively small €6 million funding package from the Taoiseach and the Department of Transport.

“When I raised this issue with the Taoiseach in the Dáil, Enda Kenny said that he was in support of the project. I am disappointed that the Taoiseach’s actions did not match his words.

“The bridge will be not be built on promises. A proper funding strategy needs to be put in place.

“The Narrow Water Bridge project can still go ahead in the future if the political will exists.”

Finally, Deputy Adams called for the creation by local councils on both sides of the border of a European Union Funding Unit that would service the region of Louth, Armagh and Down.

“This would allow councils to take full advantage of the opportunities provided by the European programmes, in particular the 2014-2020 INTERREG budget,” he said.

“This has been done to great effect in Belfast where millions of additional funding has been drawn down as a result.

“If parties are serious about investment, infrastructure, job creation, energy efficiency and tourism, they should back Sinn Fein’s proposal for a more professional approach to drawing down funding from the EU and promoting the County Louth Border region in Brussels.”

Adams expresses concern at falling number of Gardaí in Louth

A breakdown of serving gardaí in Louth from 2008-2013

Local TD Gerry Adams has expressed concern at the the decrease in Garda numbers in Louth in recent years.

Gerry Adams

Figures published by Talk of the Town yesterday show that the number of gardaí serving in the county is at its lowest level in six years.

The figures were obtained from the Department of Justice earlier this week following a parliamentary question from Deputy Adams.

Commenting on the matter, the Sinn Féin president said: “Along with Councillors Edel Corrigan and Jim Loughran, I met with senior Gardaí in Dundalk two weeks ago.

“We had a positive meeting covering a range of issues of importance to citizens in county Louth and the border region. The discussion covered Garda strategy in the region and available Garda strength and resources. We also discussed the increase in the number of burglaries, drug-related crimes, cross border policing arrangements, community safety policing and the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe.

“Following on from this conversation I submitted fifteen parliamentary questions seeking information from the Minister for Justice in respect to Garda strength on the ground in Louth and other related matters.

“The Minister’s reply is a cause for considerable concern in that it shows Garda numbers in Louth have fallen from a high in 2010 of 314 Gardaí to a low in 2013 of 286.

“In the same period the number of Gardaí available in the urban areas of Dundalk and Drogheda fell from 133 to 120 and from 100 to 93 respectively.

“There is widespread community concern that Garda strength in Louth has been operating at below acceptable levels. These figures appear to bear that out and show that the situation is getting worse.

“Falling Garda resources will do nothing to reassure the community.

“What we need to see is a fully-resourced Garda plan for Louth which includes greater Garda visibility and an increase in community-based Gardaí,” said Adams.

Sinn Féin reps meet with local Superintendent to discuss crime in Dundalk

Cllr Edel Corrigan

Sinn Féin president and local TD Gerry Adams met with Superintendent Gerry Curley at Dundalk Garda Station last Friday, along with councillors Jim Loughran and Edel Corrigan.

Many issues were discussed at the meeting, including the investigation into the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, the increase in the numbers of burglaries and drug related crimes in the area, as well as cross border policing and community safety.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Corrigan said she was concerned at the number of recent break-ins in the area and urged people to be vigilant to help cut down on this figure in the weeks ahead.

She said: “There appears to an alarming increase in burglaries throughout Dundalk and the surrounding areas. Teachta Adams has submitted a series of parliamentary questions to the Minister for Justice seeking information on this and on available Garda resources in the region.

“A number of the burglaries are believed to be carried out by criminal groups that use the border corridor to their advantage. Many gangs now travel along the main motorway between Dublin and Belfast and target areas like Dundalk as they can quickly escape back onto a main road and be miles away within minutes.

“I would appeal to citizens to be vigilant and ensure their homes and vehicles are secure at all times. I would especially appeal to everyone to look out for those most vulnerable in our communities, particularly our elderly.”

Cllr Loughran reiterated these thoughts but said it was important that Community Text Alert Schemes were rolled out quicker.

He said: “I am disappointed at the lack of progress in respect of the roll out of Community Text Alert Schemes, however I now hope that a better structure can be put in place to help co-ordination between An Garda Síochána and Community Safety Groups. I have asked that quarterly meetings be held between rural community alert groups and Garda representatives similar to those that are already in place for urban areas.

“We discussed the increase of drug-related crimes. Many addicts become involved in crime, particularly theft, in order to feed their addiction. We need more to be done to crack down on the issue of drug dealing in order to prevent further related drug crimes.”

Finally, Deputy Adams appealed for anyone with information on the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe to come forward with it as soon as possible.

He said: “I would once again appeal to anyone with information, however small or apparently insignificant, in respect of the murder of Adrian Donohoe, to bring that forward to the Garda or the PSNI.

“No effort should be spared to bringing those responsible before the courts.”

More work to be done on tackling cross border crime, insists Corrigan

Cllr Edel Corrigan

Louth County Councillor Edel Corrigan, along with Conor Murphy MP, Megan Fearon MLA for Newry and Armagh and Declan Murphy Louth Sinn Féin Constituency Manager, recently met with senior members of E District’s PSNI and Assistant Chief Constable, George Hamilton in regards to a number of issues, including cross border crime and communications between members of the PSNI and An Garda Síochána.

Although there appears to be better communication between the PSNI and An Garda Síochána in a number of areas, more still needs to be done to tackle the issues of cross border crime such as car theft, house break-ins, burglaries and there are a large number of issues around stolen farm plant and equipment.

Commenting on the meeting, Cllr Corrigan said: “Cross border crime needs to be tackled, and we appreciate this is difficult considering the lack of resources provided. All the more reason then, that An Garda Síochána and the PSNI should communicate, co-ordinate and work with the local communities North and South.

“I would like to see both the PSNI and An Garda Síochána work together to share initiatives like local community policing plans, Community Restorative Justice programmes and education programmes rolled out in some areas with youth, particularly around topics such as anti-social behaviour, bullying, criminal damage, e-safety, and the Be SMART Anti Rape Campaign,” she said.