I wish to raise the ongoing feud in Drogheda under the programme for Government and crime prevention regarding ensuring more responsive and visible policing in the community, and in particular the announcement of 25 additional gardaí for the town. That is to be welcomed, however belated it is. Serious concerns arise in Drogheda on whether the 25 additional gardaí will be all new recruits fresh out of Templemore who have had no first hand experience of dealing with a serious drugs feud of this nature or if they will be experienced gardaí. We seek clarification in that regard.

We also wish to learn how much longer we must wait until we see the additional gardaí on the streets and whether they will be deployed on a permanent basis. We never again want to see what happened in December, when we were given 12 additional gardaí but nine of them were taken away by mid-January. We saw what happened following on from that in terms of the intensification of the feud. I would welcome clarification from the Tánaiste.

It is in the programme for Government and perhaps the Minister for Justice and Equality ought to respond.

I can give a brief response if I am allowed to do that. The assistant commissioner for the northern region is putting immediate arrangements in place for additional uniformed patrols to be conducted within the district, thereby providing reassurance to the community, which is needed. The patrols will be supplemented by the emergency response unit from Dublin and supported by the regional armed support unit within the northern region.

On Tuesday, 30 April Commissioner Harris announced that he would appoint an additional 25 Garda members to Drogheda next month. This influx of Garda members to the Drogheda area will, I hope, go some way to comfort and reassure the citizens of the area that their safety and the safety of their communities is a big priority for both An Garda Síochána and the Government. Deputy O'Dowd has been vocal on this issue as well as Deputy Munster.