There has been a 17% decrease in garda numbers in Carrickmacross since 2019.
Confirming the numbers, Aontú Senator Sarah O’ Reilly says the numbers assigned to the town have fallen from 45 to 37 and that there has been an overall 11% decrease across the entire Garda division in the past six years.
Speaking ahead of an upcoming public meeting she has organised (19th May Carrickmacross) where she will be joined by her party leader, Deputy Peadar Tóibín, Senator O’Reilly says
“Despite all the promises and despite serious issues of anti-social behaviour and rising crime levels, the numbers are actually going backwards .Gardai assigned to this Division have actually fallen from 635 to 565. This is so incredibly frustrating and gain points to a real lack of action.
I have already called on the Minister for Justice to visit communities in Carrickmacross Co. Monaghan who are living in fear due to several incidents of anti-social behaviour, as the genuine fears of people have to be addressed.
Falling Garda numbers coupled with ongoing incidents of really nasty and serious anti-social are not issues that can be just brushed under the carpet and ignored.
To do so is grossly unfair to locals and is in fact a disservice to them.
Since 2011, at least 140 garda stations have been closed across the country. This is truly shocking as our population is rising leading to further demand on already over stretched resources.
It’s not just our Gardai that are over stretched. At a time when our public coffers are full, people are desperate to find homes, it is beyond shameful.
Our government seems to be devoid of both the ability and the imagination to sort out these matters”.
It’s reactionary instead of being proactive”
I am proud that Aontú is a common-sense party with constructive policies. I am urging the people of Carrickmacross and further afield to please turn out the night and rest assured your real issues and concerns will be listened to”
Crime ,together with Housing and Immigration will be all up for discussion at the public meeting to be held at the Holy Family Hall Carrickmacross at 8pm.
