Local Fine Gael TD Mr Dinny McGinley has called for an increased Garda presence in Lifford, Co Donegal following a spate of crimes in the town including suspicious fires at six houses in the last week.
Four of the houses burnt were under construction while the other two, which went on fire last Sunday night, were unoccupied at the time.
"The Gardaí are treating the circumstances surrounding these fires as suspicious and it is thanks only to the vigilance of a local Garda on duty that people were not injured or killed," said Mr McGinley.
"It is estimated that the financial damage caused is to the tune of €1 million. While the houses which were burnt were unoccupied, the latest case was most distressing for an elderly woman who had to be evacuated from a house next door for her own safety."
McGinley said the arson attacks follow a spate of criminality in the area including two armed robberies, the desecration of a graveyard, a number of cars burnt out and a stabbing which required the victim to have 83 stitches.
"Because Lifford is a border town many of the incidents are cross-border intrusions and the criminals perpetrate their attacks and then simply retreat back across the border," said Mr McGinley.
"The answer is obviously an increase in Garda numbers in order to tackle this very worrying growth in criminal activity."
Lifford had a significant Garda presence during the Northern troubles but it is understood that has been reduced significantly since 1995.
A Garda spokesperson confirmed that the six houses had been burnt but was not able to provide any information on Garda staffing levels in the town.