Brendan Smith Condemns Assault on Garda Siakana, Calls for Resources
Brendan Smith condemned a violent assault on a young member of Garda Siakana, naming the victim as Paldrick Scott, and called for urgent additional Garda resources in the former Bellyconnel Garda district. He warned the attack — involving an accelerant, possible firearm use and physical injuries — highlighted the unique policing needs of the border region.
Alleged attack details
Brendan Smith described a horrific assault on Garda Siakana member Paldrick Scott near Black Lion that shocked the local community. He said an accelerant was used, there may have been a gun, and the young Garda sustained physical injuries, and he warned the incident could have had very serious consequences.
Calls for extra Garda resources
He appealed to the Government and the Tánaiste to recognise the urgent need for additional Garda resources for the former Bellyconnel Garda district. He emphasised that the district covers a large rural border area with a very dispersed population and requires targeted allocations in forthcoming Garda resourcing decisions.
Border policing and cross-border cooperation
Brendan Smith underlined the unique policing demands of a land border with two jurisdictions and praised the current cross-border cooperation between Garda Siakana and PS&I. He recalled past suffering in the community from paramilitary thugs, criminals and murderers and insisted that those criminal elements must be eradicated.
Government response and resource oversight
In response, the Tánaiste joined in condemning the attack, calling it an attack on the State and saying the whole House was united in horror. The Tánaiste noted there are more Garda now and a larger Garda budget than before but agreed more resources are still needed, added that deployment matters are for the Garda Commissioner, and said the minister would be made aware that this issue was raised in the House.
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Thank you very much, Cancord. At Tanaiste, there was a horrific and despicable assault on a young member from Garda Siakana, Paldrick Scott, early last Monday morning near Black Lion, which has shocked the local community. This is a very serious and concerning attack, with an accelerant used in this attack, and possibly also a gun, and physical injuries inflicted on this young Garda. Sadly, there has been an increase in the number of vicious assaults on members of Garda Siakana recently. This attack could have had very serious consequences. Tanaiste, you would have heard me talk in this house on numerous occasions, about the unique policing requirements of the border region. We have a land border and two jurisdictions, with all the additional demands on policing on both sides of the border. Thankfully, there is good cross-border policing cooperation between Garda Siakana and the PS&I today. There is an urgent need for additional Garda resources for the former Bellyconnel Garda district, which covers a large rural border area, with a very dispersed population. In forecoming allocation of Garda resources, I appeal to the Government to recognise the needs of this particular border area, and I hope that Tanaiste can support this appeal for more resources. In the past, we living in that community, suffered far too much, due to paramilitary thugs, criminals and murderers, and we are not going back there. This criminal element needs to be eradicated very quickly. Thank you, I can call it. Thanks very much, Deputy. I want to join you in utterly and unreservedly condemning the attack on Garda Scott in County Cavan there the other day. I think the entire House is united in our horror and condemnation of that attack. An attack on the Defence Forces or on the Garda Siakana is an attack on all of us, because it is an attack on the State. In relation to Garda resources, as you know, we have more Garda now in Ireland than ever was the case before, and the Garda budget is larger than it ever was before. But that doesn't mean that we don't need to increase it further, and we do. And I hear what the Deputy says in relation to the need for additional resources for his own county. That, of course, is a matter for the Garda Commissioner, but I will make sure that Mr McEntee is made aware that it was raised here today. Thank you very much.
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