Breathnach calls for greater Garda presence to deal with criminal activity in Louth

Fianna Fáil TD Declan Breathnach, has called for greater Garda presence in response to the increased criminal activity in the county.  Deputy Breathnach was commenting following reports that all Garda leave has been cancelled in the Louth division as a result of the latest spate of incidents.

“The increase in criminal activity over recent weeks has shocked and frightened the people of Drogheda", said Deputy Breathnach in a statement released this afternoon.

He continued, "While this criminality is related to an ongoing feud between two criminal gangs in the locality it has the potential to impact on innocent bystanders and that is why we need a greater Garda presence in the area.

“I fully understand and appreciate that there is a policing plan in place to deal with the ongoing feud and I commend the local Gardaí who I know work tirelessly for the people of the county, but we need greater protection at this present time.

“At the weekend we saw the Army Bomb Disposal Unit called to Dublin Road to deal with a suspicious device left beside a parked car.

"This was outside some local businesses and a block of apartments. Only last night a petrol bomb was thrown at a vacant house on the Rathmullen Road. Had the wrong house been hit or a passer-by been injured, the consequences could be very serious.

"All Garda leave has been cancelled in the Louth division in order to tackle this feud but this is not a long-term solution, more Gardaí and resources need to be deployed to the area,” concluded Deputy Breathnach.