Cross Border agency needed
LOUTH TD and Fianna Fáíl Spokesperson on Cross border co-operation Declan Breathnach has said increased Garda resources are needed in Louth following the attempted raid of an ATM in Dunleer last week.
“This is not an isolated incident, but one of the many ATM raids in the border region over the past few months. I fear now that ATM services in Dunleer and across the region will be withdrawn as the risk of a raid increases.
‘ This is a huge threat to community and businesses in the area. The vast majority of people living on both sides of the border are decent law-abiding citizens who may lose out on vital services because of the actions of these thugs.
“Crime in Louth is simply out of control. The feud in Drogheda has led to shootings and murders becoming commonplace. We urgently need more Gardaí on the ground. In the short term we may need to look at the possibility of reducing the operating hours of an ATM between midnight and the early morning. There is technology available which can turn off the ATM and automatically transfer it into a secure bunker.”
Breathnach has previously called for the establishment of a cross-border crime agency to stop criminals evading capture by crossing the border. Chases of cars involving Garda or the PSNI have to end at either side of the border. Breathnach says this is an “operational gap” on the island of Ireland which was being exploited by criminal gangs. He says a cross-border agency involving both forces, as well as the Revenue and the Criminal Assets Bureau is needed.