Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, for alowing me to raise this important issue. Eight days ago on the shores of Lough Derravaragh, County Westmeath, at about 9.30 p.m. a group of subversives set up a firing range and, using Kalashnikov rifles, expended up to 1,000 rounds of ammunition and may also have exploded blast bombs.
A search of the area the next day by the Garda and the Army led to two arrests but these men were subsequently released. Of course this area, with a few known subversive activists, has been the nerve centre of a crime ring in recent years. It can be no coincidence that the car used in the shooting of three RUC constables some time ago was stolen in this area. It can also be no coincidence that the lorry used in ramming a British Army Border checkpoint was stolen in this area. A tractor stolen in the area recently was recovered in County Monaghan, believed to be destined for more destruction and death.
This small group are also known to be involved in illegal eel netting and this has brought them into regular conflict with fishery protection officers and gardaí. There were attacks on two vehicles belonging to the ESB who have responsibility for these lakes, also on the home of a fishery officer, and there were many threatening telephone calls to his house. All this culminated with the officer and his family having to sell their house and leave the area while the criminals continued to net eels at will.
The private cars belonging to two gardaí were damaged, I believe by these same subversives. They subsequently attempted to burn out two squad cars and succeeded in setting one of them alight. In a recent search of the area, radio equipment and parts of rockets were discovered. It is believed that an anti-aircraft gun is in the locality and that it was fired in this area last year. A trail from a post office robbery in Edgeworthstown led to this area. The bank robbery at Kinnegad bore the imprint of this group.
This group does not have the support of the local community of law abiding citizens, which is the case all over the country. They are ashamed of these wrongdoers and the blot on their tranquil, picturesque village.
The gardaí are doing their best with limited resources. They have often risked life and limb in pursuit of justice but in this case, so far, without success. There is only one detective in the Garda district which covers this whole area. The former sergeant in the village has not been replaced. There is no Garda vehicle to help the two gardaí there to respond to calls or information. These evil people must be brought to justice. They can be brought to justice, but the Minister must give the Garda resources to put them behind bars.
I am glad the Minister is here to respond to this debate. If she is serious about fighting crime, she can demonstrate it. These people must be put under surveillance on an around-the-clock basis which was successfully done in the Dublin area some time ago. The Minister will be doing a service to the people of north Westmeath, indeed, to the people North and South if she enables the Garda to successfully prosecute these people and put them behind bars.
