FG candidate in plea over Garda numbers

More gardaí are needed on Dublin’s streets to deter drug dealers who are openly peddling their wares, it was demanded today.

Fine Gael’s European Election candidate in the city, Gay Mitchell, called for money to be invested into local community development to combat the spiralling drugs problem.

At the launch of the party’s local manifesto for Dublin, Mr Mitchell said: “There are hard drugs being openly sold in my constituency.

“We need those extra gardaí, the additional 2,000 which were promised must be delivered upon.”

The Dublin South Central TD said the country is in the grip of a cocaine epidemic and must examine the root causes of crime.

“It is time to recommit to local community development initiatives by reinvesting in Partnership Boards and area based Drugs Task Forces,” Mr Mitchell added.

He also called for an EU Coastguard to be put in place to crack down on the importation of drugs into countries by sea.

The reform of local authorities and government was a key running point for the 55 candidates trying to take seats in the four city constituencies – Dublin city, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin.

“There are nine key areas where politics can make a real different to peoples lives,” Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said.

“We are committed to ending rip-off Ireland and for people to be able to buy their own home in Dublin without having to win the Lotto.

“Life in this city is becoming increasingly tough.”

Senator Brian Hayes said as well as holding onto the 25 seats it took in the 1999 elections, the party is hoping to make gains in Dublin in June.

The party could find it tough to repeat its record number of seats in the last elections, where it won 32% of the seats with just 28% of the votes.

The party called for the city’s Lord Mayor to be directly elected for a five-year term and to co-ordinate planning and business development in the area.

Senator Hayes, as he launched the 12-page city manifesto, repeated their appeal to those who are finding it hard to get a foot on the housing ladder.

“I repeat our commitment to new home buyers, we’ll abolish stamp duty on first time buyers, where buying second hand homes.”

The party also touted a savings scheme for those trying to gather money for a home deposit and mortgage interest relief over the first few years.

The manifesto, referring to Dublin as the capital of traffic gridlock, calls for a single transport body to take over the roles of the 20 agencies currently responsible.

“The transport system is a mess, it does require one single agency working across local authorities,” Senator Hayes said.

The manifesto also pledged to make public transport safer, with officers in place on buses and trains.