The Mayor of Donegal, Cllr Frank McBrearty, has slammed politicians for blaming the lack of Garda manpower in Donegal for rising crime.
The Labour Party councillor accused Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein and Independent Thomas Pringle of making a politicial football out of the situation.
Mayor McBrearty told Donegal Daily that the constant griping over the lack of Garda manpower was alienating the county.
“These parties and their members are merely using the issue as a political football.
“Of course there is an issue with Garda numbers but it is a reality that we are in the middle of an economic crisis and the money simply isn’t there.
“But the constant moaning and complaining and blaming the lack of Gardai for everything is not the answer,” he said.
In recent days there have been a number of meetings about the lack of Garda manpower across Donegal including Newtowncunningham and Kincasslagh.
The public are blaming a lack of Garda manpower for the rise in burglaries and other attacks.
While Mayor McBrearty said he accepted there was an issue with crime in Donegal, he said politicians were only concerned about their careers.
“They are only concerned about being heard and it is popular to slam Gardai in the middle of a rising crime problem.
“The Gardai have a job to do and they are trying to do that with fewer and fewer resources.
“All we keep hearing from these politicians is how many parts of Donegal have become no-go areas.
“We are sending out the wrong message to the rest of the country. Who would come to Donegal on holiday or invest in the county with all this scaremongering,” he asked.
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