Due to a recent reduction in Garda numbers in the East Meath area, the population is growing rapidly, and the Laytown/East Meath Garda station requires full-time opening to manage the increasing population. The plan is to make it a primary Garda station with both a resourced station and units on the road. Currently, there are ten officers, two per unit, to cover the hugely extended area, including Laytown, Bettystown, Mornington, Donore, Rathfoy, Kilmoon, and other areas touching Duleek.
The two-person unit must decide on being present in the station or attending to calls, with approximately one call per unit per shift. If there are two car major RTA's or incidents, it is a matter of luck if they are the first to respond. Currently, there are more cars outside the part-time station than there are people on shifts/units, and the public cannot get official documents sorted as nobody is there.
The area is also supported by the Ashbourne Garda station with a two-person 24-hour unit, which is over 35 minutes' drive from the location. It is inefficient from a personnel point of view, car maintenance, and emissions point of view. The Justice Minister Helen McEntee and East Meath representatives have done nothing to advance this issue in the 20 years that the area has seen significant population growth and property sales.
Anti-social behaviour is rising drastically due to the lack of Garda presence, and East Meath has taken in a significant proportion of migrants in the area. Most of them have integrated into society, but there is also an element of rising incidents from within this community also.
Also of this is supposed to be managed by 2 Garda Officers with a total of 10 Full time for the entire area.
This petition has been created to request the full resourcing of the Garda Station in Laytown and ensure that no tragedy occurs. It is essential to prevent laws from being taken into constituents' own hands, avoid overworked and stressed Garda officers, and further fracture the relationship between the Garda and the public.
Residents of East Meath and those with family in the area are encouraged to sign the petition.
