Peter Hughes
Politicians raised concerns at last Friday’s inaugural meeting of the Co Monaghan Joint Policing Committee about the shortage of transport resources available to the local Gardaí to respond to rural crime and cope with any added security commitments that might arise with the outcome of the UK’s departure from the European Union. The issue was raised by Fianna Fáil member of Monaghan Co Council Raymond Aughey, who asked the Garda representatives on the JPC why such a big problem was being experienced at present with getting more vehicles and transport for the force in Co Monaghan.
Councillor Aughey said that statistics indicated that some forms of crime such as burglary were on in the increase in Monaghan, and the Gardaí needed more patrol cars. “Why is it so hard to obtain them?” Councillor Aughey asked. Garda Chief Superintendent John O’Reilly said the Garda transport budget for 2019 was already exhausted and there had been additional budgetary pressures from the security arrangements arising from the visits to Ireland of US President Donald Trump and Vice- President Mike Pence. The Garda budget allocation for…
