Garda drug unit numbers slashed claims ff senator

The number of gardaí assigned to the dedicated garda drug squad in County Meath has been slashed from seven officers in 2011 to four officers in 2014, according to new figures obtained by Fianna Fáil.

The figures were released by Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald in response to a parliamentary question from Fianna Fáil.

They show drastic cuts to the number of gardaí assigned to garda drugs units across the country over the past three years.

A total of 108 officers have been pulled from garda drugs squads nationally since 2011, with the cuts particularly notable in Meath, which has seen its allocation diminish by almost 50 per cent.

Senator Thomas Byrne has hit out at the cuts, which he says are happening at a time of escalating drug crime in our communities.

'You don’t have to look very hard to see the increasing prevalence of drugs on our streets in towns and villages across the mid-east. It's heartbreaking to see more and more young people in particular fall victim to drugs,' said Senator Byrne. 'Meanwhile, our communities have suffered a spike in drug-related crime, from burglaries to antisocial behaviour and all-too-blatant drug dealing.'

The senator has 'no doubt' that the drugs problem is increasing and gardaí are being hampered in their ability to investigate due to drastic cuts to their resources.

'Instead of tackling the drugs crisis head on, this government is doing the opposite by turning a blind eye and diverting resources away from dedicated drugs task forces at community level,' added Senator Byrne. 'Resources have been cut to the bone.'

Senator Byrne has called for the immediate reinstatement of a fully-staffed Garda Drugs Unit in Meath in addition to the reinstatement of a Minister for Drugs to oversee a crackdown on drug-related crime and the implementation of supports for victims of drug abuse.