There are around 153,000 people living in Longford, Leitrim and Roscommon at the moment.

Finola Armstrong McGuire runs a business in the town and was a Fine Gael councillor for 10 years, but quit politics last month.

There were 111 in Midlands Prison in Portlaoise last year - a 54 per cent increase on the 72 in 2023.

26 were registered in Leitrim between January and June - compared to 39 in the same period in 2023.

There were 26 in Castlerea prison, with six prison officers attacked by inmates and there were 20 prisoner-on-prisoner assaults.

Jonathan Moran, from Tower View in Mullingar, was jailed for eight years yesterday and his victim, Bláthnaid Raleigh, waived her anonymity so he could be named.

Speaking to the Joe Finnegan Show, Castlerea doctor Madeline Ní Dhálaigh believes it's important to expand the initiative further.

He is furious with the new coalition in the council, involving Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the other four Independents - James Gilmartin, Eddie Mitchell, Enda Stenson, and Felim Gurn.