I have concerns regarding the deployment of Garda resources in rural towns in County Offaly, including Banagher and many other smaller towns. It is not the remit of the Minister for justice to say where gardaí are deployed. That is the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner. Following approximately ten recent break-ins in Banagher and the surrounding areas, we know that the slow response time is due to gardaí having to be dispatched from Birr. While operational police decisions, as I said, are down to the Garda Commissioner, does the Taoiseach acknowledge the concern locally that Offaly received no members of An Garda Síochána in the past two Templemore allocation tranches? Will the Taoiseach ask that resourcing and deployment arrangements for the area be examined to help ensure timely responses and maintain community confidence in policing across rural Offaly?

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