There have been calls for the Garda Dog Unit to be brought into action in Letterkenny immediately to combat drugs.
A specialist dog was announced for the north west region earlier this year and is currently understood to be in training with its handler.
Until the dog is brought into the force, Cllr Rena Donaghey said it would be a step in the right direction in tackling the “menace of drugs” which “has cast a dark shadow over our society for years”.
“Drugs are in every city, every town and every village in Ireland and Donegal is no exception. This crisis has spiralled out of control, wreaking havoc on our people, especially on our youth,” Cllr Donaghey told this week’s council meeting in Lifford.
Cllr Donaghey proposed that the council urgently writes to Justice Minister Helen McEntee urging the immediate establishment of a garda dog unit in Letterkenny to serve the entire north west region. Cllr Donaghey pointed out there is no dog unit above the line from Dublin to Galway.
Dogs can do what no human or machine can do, she said.
“Dogs with their acute sense of smell outperform humans and machines in detecting drugs, explosives, firearms and even human remains, they can even sense disease and stress in humans,” Cllr Donaghey said.
While commending gardaí for their trojan work with inadequate resources, and welcoming recent seizures of international drug smuggling off the Irish coast, Cllr Donaghey “unfortunately this is just the tip of the iceberg”.
Seconding the motion, Cllr Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly said: “I fear for our youth coming up behind us, mothers and fathers are worried sick about what’s going on, in some ways, it has nearly become the norm for young people, drugs are being pushed on them which is unfair.”
He added that vaping has become a frightening issue, citing reports of vapes on sale with cannabis oil in them.
Cllr Gerry McMonagle, Chair of Donegal’s Joint Policing Committee, told members they may not have too long to wait until a garda dog unit is on the street, as one is currently being prepared for work in Donegal.
“It’s a timely motion and you might not have to wait too long until there’s one in Letterkenny,” Cllr McMonagle told Cllr Donaghey.
