Crime down 12 per cent in Meath

Crime in Meath has dropped sharply this year, falling by 12 per cent overall since this time last year.
Crime figures fell throughout the County, but Kells saw a massive fall of 22 per cent in its crime figures.
Meanwhile, an extra five guards will be joining the force in Meath in January boosting the overall number of sworn members in the county to 323.
The drop in crime statistics follows a week of significant drug hauls by the guards where €50,000 in cash was seized in a house in Meath in a follow up search to a €4m cocaine seizure in Dublin.
The significant drop in crime figures was attributed to proactive policing, by  Chief Supt Fergus Healy who announced the figures at a meeting of the Meath Joint Policing Committee on Monday night.
He said there had been an active operation of “proactive patrolling” that had a direct impact.
He was adamant that this would continue.
“A new year brings new challenges and we won't be taking our eyes of the ball,” he said.
He told members of the Joint Policing Committee that there will be a greater visibility of Gardai on the street over Christmas and on into the new year.
Welcoming the drop in crime statistics Deputy Shane Cassells said the  fall in crime levels comes down to the determination of Chief Superintendent Fergus Healy “to put boots on the ground.”
“We’ve seen a noticeable increase in the number of guards out patrolling our streets and this comes down to the positive attitude of Chief Supt Healy wanting a more visible force.”
However, the negative response of the Department of Justice and the OPW to the continued requests for a new divisional HQ has angered Deputy Cassells who has criticised them for not taking the issue seriously.
In response to questions posed in the Dáil by Deputy Cassells the OPW has stated that a “new Garda Divisional Headquarters at Navan, Co  Meath has not been identified as a priority in the current programme.”