When gun crimes occur on residential roads with open green spaces where children play daily it is time for the authorities to wake-up and acknowledge that their approach to crime in our community is failing. As a founding member of the Cabra Community Policing Forum I work with residents, elected representatives, the local authority and the Gardai to reduce crime and increase public safety in our community.
The shooting of a man in the middle of Cabra this evening is very upsetting for the community. With a population of more than 20,000 Cabra is a vibrant strong community but the absence of an adequate Garda presence is inviting for opportunistic criminals. A recent report from the Central Statistics Office indicating a 69% increase in Burglaries since 2007 in the Dublin West Garda Division that includes Cabra confirms what local residents have been living with for the last few years.
Cabra has suffered in recent years from reduced Garda resources with the station operating on reduced hours and a reduced compliment of community Gardai. It is totally unacceptable that the people of Cabra do not have an adequately resourced Garda service. The fact that Cabra residents are forced to rely on Gardai in Finglas, Blanchardstown or Ballymun only highlights the lack of proper policing arrangements for our community. The people of Cabra feel let down and abandoned. The people of Cabra are angry that criminals appear to feel they can come into Cabra and act with impunity. This should not be the case. I am urging the Garda Commissioner to accept the outstanding request from the Cabra Community Policing Forum to meet with her to discuss policing arrangements for Cabra with view to increasing the resources to an adequate level.
