'Garda taskforce needed to dismantle Edenderry drug gangs' – Deputy Tony McCormack

Fianna Fáil TD for Offaly, Deputy Tony McCormack, has urged the Minister for Justice to establish “a dedicated Garda taskforce in Edenderry to dismantle the drug gangs operating in the town.”

His appeal comes in the wake of the tragic murders of Mary Holt and four-year-old Tadhg Farrell, an event that, he said “has left the community devastated.”

Addressing the Minister in the Dáil, Deputy McCormack stated: “People deserve to feel safe in their own homes. They deserve to sit in their living rooms and watch television without fear.”

“We need to act now to ensure that a callous crime like this can never happen again.”

Deputy McCormack added that a strengthened and focused Garda presence is now needed in Edenderry to deal decisively with those responsible for “the horrific crimes committed over the weekend.”

“Neighbouring families are shaken, and children in the estate are frightened. These are homes that should be filled with Christmas excitement, not fear and trauma. The community needs reassurance, and that reassurance must come through continued, visible action.”

Deputy McCormack also asked the Minister to consider extending Edenderry Garda Station to a 24-hour service, noting that the town now needs reassurance through action.

“Criminals do not keep office hours, and our safety shouldn’t either.”

“The people of Edenderry are heartbroken. Soon, a coffin heartbreakingly small will be carried to its resting place, a sight that will stay with this community for a lifetime.

“A community has been shattered, and we must do everything we can to help it heal.”

He concluded: “Let this tragedy be the moment confidence is rebuilt in Edenderry, not the moment we simply mourn and move on.”

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