I welcome the opportunity to speak on this vital issue. Garda resources are one of the most consistent and pressing concerns raised with me by constituents. Day in, day out I hear from my community that the Garda presence in our communities is simply not strong enough or visible enough. Across my constituency of Dublin Bay North, there are areas crying out for more gardaí. These are areas whose populations are increasing on a daily basis. People are telling me they do not see the same presence on the streets anymore. They are worried and frustrated. They want to feel safe going about their daily lives and right now, too many do not feel safe. Our gardaí do fantastic work, often in very difficult circumstances, but they cannot do the impossible. There are stations in my community that are stretched to their limits. Gardaí cannot be everywhere and they cannot meet the needs of communities without proper staffing and resourcing. I welcome the increase in Garda numbers that was announced recently. We need to keep this up if we are to reach the numbers that are so badly needed. We are on the right trajectory but we cannot sit back. We need to create additional critical momentum in this regard. What people want is quite simple - more gardaí on the beat, on our streets and in our communities. They want the reassurance that when an issue arises, there is a Garda ready to respond. That visible presence is what builds trust and confidence and keeps people safe. I am asking the Government to go further and faster in increasing Garda numbers and to support our communities by ensuring that sufficient numbers are deployed to areas that need them most. People deserve to feel safe where they work and where they live. Right now, too many people do not feel that. That must change and it is our responsibility to create that change

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