Fresh calls for more garda resources in Longford after video emerges of late night altercation

The footage from the early hours of Sunday morning, which has been obtained by Longford Live, shows a number of young male and females becoming caught up in an unsightly incident on Main Street.

During the twenty second clip, several youngsters can be seen kicking and trading blows from one side of the street to the other in front of horrified onlookers and motorists.

A garda spokesperson confirmed they had been made aware of a disturbance shortly after 3am, but when officers arrived there was no trace of any of the disorderly behaviour which had unfolded moments earlier.

"Gardaí were alerted to a row on Main Street, Longford this morning Sunday, January 8, 2023 at approximately 3.15am," said the spokesperson.

"No persons were present when Gardaí arrived and no offence was disclosed."

The incident has been condemned locally with renewed calls for additional garda resources to be made available.

“It’s extremely frustrating to see this type of behaviour on our Main Street following a period of relative calm in terms of public order events,” said Independent Cllr Gerry Warnock.

“The months of January and February are notoriously difficult for businesses engaging in the night-time economy and these incidents are unhelpful."

The former Longford County Council cathaoirleach said while there was merit in seeking a more consistent garda presence on the streets of the town particularly at weekends, the burden of responsibility in making that a reality was one which remained firmly at the door of the Government.

“Our new Taoiseach (Leo Varadkar) has cited his ambition to reinstate law and order within the jurisdiction, so perhaps the Government can get back to basics and adequately resource our policing services and try and deter or avoid this type of activity.”