George Lawlor: Calls for Increased Investment in Community Gardaí
George Lawlor addressed the minister on the role of community Gardaí in diverting young people from criminal activity, urging consistent and increased investment. He cited community-led projects in Wexford - including a Ferndale sporting initiative, local donations and the Southend Family Resource centre - as evidence the approach works.
George Lawlor said the presence of community Gardaí delivers huge results in diverting young people from criminal activity, based on experience across his home county of Wexford. He described the work as a cross-agency matter, agreed with a colleague Deputy Kelly on that point, and argued community Gardaí give credibility and leadership to local projects.
Lawlor recounted a project in Ferndale where he worked with then County Manager Tom Enright and the council to secure a piece of land and apply for sports capital funding. The government provided €300,000 for the project, they built Astrator facilities, a local business person subsequently volunteered €500,000,000 as a donation, and Wexford FC under the stewardship of Mark Ross now use the facilities weekly. Custodians of the Astroturfs are local mothers and a boxing club is being built using resources and funds the council added.
He highlighted the Southend Family Resource centre in Modlin town as a hub where community development converges, calling it almost "a perfect storm" of services. The centre supports activities ranging from men's shed and knitting groups to choirs and the local GAA club St. Mary's, with community Gardaí assisting programmes and bringing people together.
George Lawlor urged consistent and increased investment in community Gardaí, arguing that their presence, coupled with cross-agency cooperation, leads to tangible improvements on the ground. He framed the approach as a clear and practical way to divert young people from anti-social behaviour and strengthen community-led facilities and services.
Community Gardaí and youth diversion
George Lawlor said the presence of community Gardaí delivers huge results in diverting young people from criminal activity, based on experience across his home county of Wexford. He described the work as a cross-agency matter, agreed with a colleague Deputy Kelly on that point, and argued community Gardaí give credibility and leadership to local projects.
Ferndale sporting initiative
Lawlor recounted a project in Ferndale where he worked with then County Manager Tom Enright and the council to secure a piece of land and apply for sports capital funding. The government provided €300,000 for the project, they built Astrator facilities, a local business person subsequently volunteered €500,000,000 as a donation, and Wexford FC under the stewardship of Mark Ross now use the facilities weekly. Custodians of the Astroturfs are local mothers and a boxing club is being built using resources and funds the council added.
Southend Family Resource centre in Modlin town
He highlighted the Southend Family Resource centre in Modlin town as a hub where community development converges, calling it almost "a perfect storm" of services. The centre supports activities ranging from men's shed and knitting groups to choirs and the local GAA club St. Mary's, with community Gardaí assisting programmes and bringing people together.
Recommendation and funding plea
George Lawlor urged consistent and increased investment in community Gardaí, arguing that their presence, coupled with cross-agency cooperation, leads to tangible improvements on the ground. He framed the approach as a clear and practical way to divert young people from anti-social behaviour and strengthen community-led facilities and services.
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Transcript
Minister, I think the evidence is clear, if you look across the country, when it comes to diverting young people from criminal activity, the presence of community Gardaí deliver huge results. I have seen it across my home county in Wexford where community Gardaí working sigilously on the ground are making a real, real difference to their communities. So I think investment in community Gardaí is a no-brainer when it comes to the subject of the diversion of young people from criminal activity. I will give you the example of an area in my home town of Wexford, an area called Ferndale, and whilst I say community Gardaí I think it is a cross-agency matter and I would like to agree with my colleague Deputy Kelly in that regard. A number of years ago I worked with the then excellent County Manager Tom Enright in Wexford and approached him about acquiring or utilising a piece of Council land to put in some sporting facilities. And Manager Enright at the time came fully on board and was fully supportive and the Council came on board. And following on to that we applied for sports capital funding which the government gave €300,000 to and we built some Astrator facilities and so impressed by a local business person with the whole development, the whole project that he volunteered €500,000,000 as a donation towards this project. Wexford FC then came on board and each week we have Wexford FC under the stewardship of Mark Ross and his team in Wexford FC come together in this area that had suffered over the years from anti-social activities but are now coming together. In fact the custodians of the Astroturps are the local mothers in the area. We are now currently building a boxing club on foot of the resources and the funds that the Council have added to this. So it is a cross-agency approach I feel is needed not just in the area of community Gardaí but certainly I think the benefits of everybody coming together under the leadership if I like initially of the community Gardaí and with their endorsement does lead to results. Another area in Wexford town which I think benefits greatly from the presence of a family resource centre. Southend Family Resource operate in the Modlin town area of Wexford town and you can see on the ground where it is almost a perfect storm of community development where people come together anchored and centred in the family resource centre. And it is there that the ideas spring from, that the facilities spring from, that the courses and the projects spring from and it brings together all elements of the community be it men's shed or be it knitting groups or be it choirs and we also have the local sports GAA club there as well St. Mary's of modern town coming together and with community Gardaí assisting as well in that area. So it really is the community Gardaí I believe that lead the charge and give the credibility if you like to any project that leads to an enhancement of the area. So I urge consistent and increased investment in the area of community Gardaí. Thank you Minister.