Aontú Ballymun-Finglas representative, Edward MacManus has slammed the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee for the ‘short-sighted, knee jerk’ injection of €10m last week in response to assault increases in Dublin city.
The 2024 local government candidate said garda morale and numbers are poor and called the Minister’s response a ‘smokescreen’.
“Despite warnings from TD’s and the community for months about the state of the Gardai and the growing problems in Dublin City Centre, the Justice Minister knuckled down and denied that anything was wrong on either front until she was forced to undertake embarrassing PR stunts last week following the harrowing attack on a US tourist in the capital.
“She will now announce that 240,000 extra Garda hours, or 20,000 extra garda shifts will be made available in the Dublin Metropolitan Area, despite the fact that there are no new gardaí being deployed in the city to actually carry out the extra shifts.
“Our Party Leader, Peadar Tóibín TD recently told the Minister that garda morale was on the floor, demonstrated by a GRA ballot re confidence in the Garda Commissioner. Now, rather than engaging with communities, stakeholders and rank and file
gardaí in Dublin or injecting real resources, we have this short-sighted, knee-jerk reaction which is more for the press than it is to inspire real change!”
Seventy one members of the force resigned in the past year so the announcement of new recruits from Templemore will simply not cut the mustard, said the Ballymun-
“This smoke and mirrors approach from the Justice Minister needs to end before we are looking at more serious incidents in the capital.”
- Laura Woods hosts breakfast morning for Laura Lynn Charity
- ‘Chupi’ to open new flagship Dublin store this month!
- Make sweater weather even better – Go Barefoot This Season
- A Green Flag for wonderful Hartstown Park!
- Shiels wins Top Goalie award
