Garda numbers have been reduced by over 65 per cent in the past 10 years in some rural areas of the midlands, according to Fine Gael chief whip Mr Charles Flanagan.
He said cutbacks at stations such as Tullamore and Portlaoise reflected a serious depletion in numbers and the situation was worse at some smaller stations.
"In Rhode, there was one sergeant and two gardai in 1990. Now there is only one garda. In Borris-in-Ossory there was one sergeant and two gardai. Now there is one garda. The trend continues throughout Offaly and the rest of Laois. We were told that Garda stations would not close, but what is happening is that this is closure by stealth."
Because of the demands from larger towns, Mr Flanagan said, gardai were being called from towns such as Edenderry to operate in Portlaoise and Tullamore on busy weekend nights. "This sometimes leaves a single garda on duty alone in towns such as Edenderry, Portarlington and Mountmellick. The population in these areas has grown considerably and it is leaving these towns quite vulnerable. This is wrong."
Mr Flanagan said this policy also put the gardai at a disadvantage as they were being sent to areas where they did not know people. The overall result was an increase in public order offences. Some weeks ago, Fianna Fail councillor Mr Joe Dunne called for a curfew on young people in Portlaoise to put an end to rowdy behaviour at the weekends. He said teenagers should be home under parental supervision by 11 p.m. Mr Flanagan said he would not go that far but said the Garda presence would have to be stepped up.
The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, said he had been advised that Garda management was satisfied the personnel were meeting the policing needs of the Laois/Offaly division.
"I have also been assured by the Garda authorities that the policing situation in the Laois/Offaly division is monitored constantly."