Under-resourcing of Garda drugs units ‘failing local communities’ – Pat Buckley TD

Sinn Féin TD for Cork East Pat Buckley has warned that the government’s shameful under-resourcing of Garda drugs units is failing local communities in the area.

New figures show that local drugs units still have fewer Gardaí than a decade ago when austerity cuts were implemented. This is despite government claims to have invested in services.

Speaking today, Teachta Buckley said:

“Drug dealing and addiction devastates far too many lives here in Cork East. Much more needs to be done to clamp down on dealers who terrorise local communities and the lives of ordinary people living here. 

“New figures show that for all the government’s lip service to tackling drug dealing, they have in fact failed to properly resource Garda drugs units so that there are sufficient staff to tackle this scourge.

“Staffing levels in drugs units are still [at/ close to] austerity-era lows, despite government claims to take this issue seriously. Staff in these units are trying their best to protect communities but they feel abandoned and let down by this government’s failure to invest.

“I am urging the government to get their act together and ensure that they invest in the Gardaí, so that they have appropriate staffing levels and resources in these drugs units. This is far too important an issue for the government to be penny-pinching and spinning that their level of investment is far more than it is. Ordinary, decent communities are being left to suffer as a result of the government’s mishandling of this issue. This cannot continue.”