Sinn Féin TD Imelda Munster has criticised the fall in Garda numbers in the Drogheda area, and has called on the government to “bolster resources in Drogheda and keep the promise they made after the feud”.

Deputy Munster said that in the aftermath of the vicious drugs feud in Drogheda, which included shootings, intimidation, arson and brutal criminality, Drogheda was promised increased Garda resources and personnel.

She says that she has received figures from An Garda Síochána that the number of Gardaí in the district has actually reduced by nine since December 2021

“If that wasn’t bad enough, an internal Garda submission last year outlined that regular uniform policing units have been slashed by 21 members.

“That submission also said that on a daily basis it is now accepted that there will not be a Garda on the beat”.

“This is unacceptable. It is wrong, and it shows a blatant disregard for Drogheda and the people of Drogheda, after everything that’s happened here.”

After she raised the matter in the Dail, Tánaiste Mícheál Martin answered Deputy Munster’s question by referencing the government’s Garda recruitment targets, but failed to mention Drogheda or the unique issues facing the town in his response.

IN response, Deputy Munster said: “The Minister for Justice Helen McEntee was on LMFM last month disputing the fact that there are no Gardaí on the beat in Drogheda.

“This shows how out of touch Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are. I’m not sure if they believe that the Gardaí are wrong, or are they so arrogant that they think they know better?

“What is clear is that the government appears to have no intention of bolstering Garda resources in Drogheda, as they promised to do. So this is just another broken promise, and another example of how Drogheda is being neglected by this government.”