Buncrana town councillor Darren Lalor along with colleagues from the Sinn Fein party launched a post card campaign on Thursday in the seaside town to put forward the party's five demands to the Garda Policing Plan for building safer communities.

The launch was also an opportunity to voice concerns about domestic violence throughout Inishowen and the rest of the country.

Cllr Lalor said: "The launch on Thursday is two fold.

"First it gives Sinn Fein in Inishowen an opportunity to put into the public domain our submissions to the Garda Policing Plan for 2008 and launch Sinn Fein's five demands for building safer communities.

"It was also to inform the public of our information cards on Domestic Violence which includes our party's five demands for tackling domestic violence and provides important contact details for help lines and groups that can help victims.

"Such as providing more safe, suitable emergency and long term accommodations for victims and providing adequate funding for essential frontline services.

"Sinn Fein welcomes the improvements made in this years Garda policing plan 2008 it is a huge improvement on previous plans and we are also pleased that some of our proposals have been included through the submission stage."

Cllr Lalor said this is the first time the Gardai has invited submissions for the plan and he believes this has contributed to it being an improvement on previous years.

He added: "We welcome the emphasis on tackling serious drugs and gun crime which we have been campaigning on, but we are also disappointed those resources for Garda Drug squads has not been doubled as Sinn Fein has proposed.

"Serious drug and gun crime is the biggest threat to our society and the Minister has quite rightly made this his number one priority for 2008. This should also be reflected in the strategic goals for the Gardaí."

Key Priority

He said the key priority for 2008 is to see more Gardai on foot and bicycles patrolling anti-social hot spots and residential areas.

He said this would help build a strong relationship within the community and ensure quicker response times, particularly when they are most needed.

Cllr Lalor added: "While the measures to tackle domestic and sexual violence do not go far enough, we welcome the fact that this type of crime does at last feature in this years plan.

"Unfortunately previous plans have failed to include measures to tackle this serious issue despite the high prevalence and gravity of this serious crime.

"So while we have huge questions in relation to the plan and how it will be implemented, we also recognise that the Gardaí have to perform a very difficult job in sometimes dangerous circumstances.