Mattie McGrath: Condemns lone patrols after guard almost killed
Mattie McGrath spoke about Garda resourcing and said he will not support the retention of the minister, highlighting a recent incident where an officer was almost killed while on a lone patrol. He defended the Garda, blamed control-room decisions and policing authorities for sending lone guards without backup, and demanded ministerial action.
Immediate incident
A lone guard in the Caire Castle district was sent to a dangerous call and was almost killed, McGrath said. He recounted speaking to the officer on Sunday and said the call centre in Cork had the individual's record but still dispatched the single officer to that situation.
Control-room and arrest details
McGrath said the ERU eventually arrested the suspect, who has a long record and has been in and out of prison. He criticised the control centre and Garda authorities for sending a sole officer to a known dangerous individual and described that decision as intolerable and unacceptable.
Rural policing and resource allocation
McGrath argued rural areas are left understaffed because guards are pulled to concerts and big games in Dublin, citing multiple requests for large events this week. He warned that towns and tourist areas from Bohr-Lachan to Finnecair and others are often policed by a single guard on duty.
Accountability and political stance
He explicitly stated he is not supporting the retention of the minister and called on the minister to take responsibility and act to support the guard and colleagues. McGrath praised the courage of the officer, expressed concern for the officer's family, and said communities are being terrorised by dangerous individuals that have not been adequately dealt with.
Community impact
McGrath said he canvassed the area three weeks earlier and was told the whole community lives in fear of the individual involved. He urged action to ensure guards are not sent alone into dangerous situations and to restore public safety and confidence.
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I am not supporting the retention of this minister, and there are lots of issues that you can be dealing with, whether they have this field in here every year. I want to say I support the Gael D, and indeed I have a Gael D member at home at the moment, in care and temporarily, one of the finest community Gael D ever, who had to go to a case last Wednesday on his own, a dangerous case, and was almost killed. And this is shocking, ministers, one of your watches happening every day of the week, and the commissioner, and the assistant commissioner, deputy commissioners, chief superintendents, and indeed superintendents, who put these people out of here. And the call centre in Cork, who got this call from this dangerous individual, who have a record a mile long, and I spoke to the guard, and I wish him well, on Sunday, and he asked me to raise it here, he was almost killed. No backup, he was the only guard on duty, out in patrol, in the Caire Castle district, and when he got that call, one in the station. This is a shocking situation, and it's happening on a daily basis, hourly basis, day and night, because the guard are being pulled and dragged on over the country. I spoke to the GRA representative, who told me they have six requests already this week, for concerts in Dublin, for big games on, and God knows what, and the guard in the country area is not being policed. This man, a good, excellent officer, I hope he recovers. He was almost lost his life, because he had no backup. He knew going to the station, I commend him, he knew going to the call, he had no backup. The nearest guard was, it happened in Tloheen, the nearest guard, it might be available, it was Clonmel, which is a different district, or Mitchistown. Thankfully, the honour of UCAM, the ERU camp, eventually, and arrested, and apprehended that gentleman who's in jail, who's been in and out of jail. And the control centre, I blame as well, they saw on the computer in front of them, who they were dealing with, and what kind of individual they were dealing with, and sending the lone guard out to that situation, is intolerable, unacceptable, disgraceful by you, and by the guard authorities. And it's happening night and day, 24-7, all over, and we keep raising it here, you'll quote out how many of you are coming into Timplemore. You told me last week, I think, 220 expected, I'm told it'd be looking to be 120. So give over the game, please, and the show-offs in Dublin, and the big supports, out in the country where we need the guard D, they're doing their best, and they're supposed to support them, 99% of the guard D, and put them into that kind of place. He's a wife and family, my God, I could have been here talking tonight, on the death of a guard, and it's not good enough to have communities, it's been terrorised, I canvassed that area three weeks ago, and I was told the whole community are living in fear of this individual. So these dangerous individuals have not been dealt with, but they expect the guard to go out on his own, or a female guard on the road, and they're doing it. I spoke to them, put old cars at 3 o'clock in the morning, with nobody with them, and no backup, and no one does no backup. An area from Ireland to Bohr-Lachan, and Finnecair, Towns of Cair, two tourist towns, one guard on duty. I hate having to be this in here tonight, but I have to, and as Time Minister, you took responsibility, and acted to support that guard and his colleagues. Go raibh maith.
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