Laytown needs 24/7 station says Nash
Even after a public protest on the beach at Bettystown over the lack of a 24/7 Garda presence in East Meath which was prompted by outbreaks of violence, local TD Ged Nash is still being given the run-around by the Minsiter for Justice, Heather Humphreys.
Deputy Nash quizzed the Minister in Daíl Éireann yesterday about the number of Gardaí based at Laytown and the promised review of the Garda divisional boundaries between south County Louth and east County Meath but says he got no clarity on either issue.
Deputy Nash was told that that there are currently 22 Gardaí based at Laytown Station which is an increase of just two since 2016 which, he pointed out has been “a period of strong economic growth and population expansion.”
“Laytown, Bettystown and Mornington needs a full-time station and the additional resources that the third largest town in Meath deserves” he told both the Minster and the Garda Commissioner, “…and I will not rest until this is changed” he vowed.
“Next week I am meeting with the Chief Superintendent to make the case for additional resources to be deployed to this ever-growing part of Meath.”
Deputy Nash said that a reply to his parliamentary question on proposed changes to Garda divisional boundaries gave him no clarity on the Commissioner’s plans.
The Minister said her Department has been liaising with An Garda Síochána on this matter and with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage about the impact on Drogheda of the intersection of the county boundaries and that a plan is due to be published shortly.
Nash said he is waiting for a direct response from Commissioner Harris on this pressing issue.
“It is bonkers that the East Meath area is governed by the HQ in Ashbourne and not the regional headquarters in Drogheda.
“This makes no practical sense at all and common sense would suggest that the area must be managed from Drogheda.”
