Community policing and Garda posts
Gerry Adams raises reduced Garda posts, weak community policing and local concern following Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe’s killing; the Chair directs him to submit a Topical Issue.
The programme for Government contains commitments to enhance trust between local communities and the gardaí, and also through the policing partnerships, to give greater priority to community policing and higher Garda visibility in local neighbourhoods. What is the position on that issue? The Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, and I were in St. Patrick's GAA Club in Lordship, of which Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was an active member. He was killed recently a mile from where we met. There is widespread concern in the area that 21 Garda posts have been cut. There is one van patrolling a 45 km stretch of the Border.
Comment on this
The Deputy might put down a Topical Issue matter and I will consider it. That is not an issue for the Order of Business.