Gardaí must be adequately resourced to tackle problems
Fine Gael Cork South Central Senator, Jerry Buttimer, this evening (Thursday) said the cigarette and tobacco haul which was seized in Cork last night is an indication of the rising level of organised crime which is slowly taking hold of the city.
“The cold-blooded killing of a man in Cork this day last week, coupled with the swell in republican activity in the region and now a haul of 750,000 counterfeit cigarette and over 500kg of tobacco, with an estimated worth of €500,000, all clearly point to the fact that organised crime in Cork is on the up.
“The rise in crime in the city must be curbed. If there is to be any hope of getting a handle on the situation Gardaí must be given the resources needed to tackle this downward spiral.
“As a matter of priority:
- Scanners must be introduced at our airports and ports to curb the flow of drugs and contraband substances;
- A dramatic overhaul of Garda rostering must take place so that the 1,650 Gardaí who are currently engaged in paperwork can be freed up and put back on the beat;
- The number of Community Gardaí must be increased from the paltry 6% as it currently stands;
Remaining Garda vacancies must be immediately filled;
“I will be raising the matter of increasing crime levels in Cork at the next Joint Policing Committee of Cork City Council. The impact of the Emergency Response Unit in Limerick and Dublin has seen criminal activity surge as gangs realise that Cork is becoming a soft-touch.
“Cork must not allow these people to thrive in our city. We cannot become a target for criminal activity. The Garda Commissioner and the Minister must take a long hard look at what’s happening in Cork. Our communities must not be forced to suffer as a consequence of Government inactivity.”