Rural ireland being raped by crime

 

Cavan councillors are seeking the re-opening of rural Garda stations after crime has “sky-rocketed”, “ravaging” west Cavan.
At October’s council meeting, Cllr Eugene Greenan tabled a motion calling on the 'Minister for Justice to reverse the closure of Garda stations in the county’ and said that there was a saving of only €4K per annum per closed station.
“We’ve seen places where crime has sky-rocketed,” said the Sinn Féin man. He said that year-on-year burglaries are up 61% and that Belturbet had recorded an increase of 500%.
Cllr Greenan queried a statement from Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald, which promised increased Garda visibility, patrol hours, mobility, flexibility and a continued presence in communities. He said that on a recent 12-hour 'sleep-out’ highlighting homelessness outside the library that he did not see one Garda on foot and only twice saw a van come in and out of Cavan Town.
He stressed the crime level in Belturbet and Ballyconnell areas where “not even” visibility was happening, adding that the only solution in the face of the increased crime “across the county” was to reopen the stations.
Bawnboy’s Cllr Sean Smith, supporting the motion, said that closure of his local Garda station twice resulted in robberies from nearby St Mogue’s College, which was “never before” the case. He said not only should the stations be reopened but because rural Ireland was being “raped by crime” and, considering the local terrain, that the intervention of the Army should be looked at.
Ballyconnell’s Cllr Damien Brady called for an increased recruitment drive.
Blacklion Cllr John Paul Feeley said the there was enough “ongoing criminality” in west Cavan that people were “living in fear”, despite the efforts of gardaí, who were “not adequately resourced”.
He bemoaned some “individuals with hundreds of prior convictions” being “out and about while awaiting trial”.
However, Fine Gael’s Cllr Peter McVitty said that the closure of a “one-man Garda station” did not make a “damn bit of difference” because if the Garda was embedded in the community that they would know who was “acting the blackguard”.
He said this was “not happening now” and queried why west Cavan was being targeted. “Why our area? Where do these people come from?” he asked, before suggesting the possibility of Garda vetting on those moving into the area who might be tipping off travelling gangs.
Shane P O’Reilly (FF) said that the “one-man station is very important to rural Ireland” and referenced a Sunday World piece highlighting at least six travelling gangs operating in the area before urging resistance on closures.
Bailieborough’s Cllr Niamh Smyth said the lack of a Garda presence was an “incentive to criminality”.
Cllr Greenan, who tabled the motion, added that it was “extremely important to report crime” so that the department would have a “fuller idea of what is happening”. 
A letter is to be sent to the Minister for Justice on the matter.