‘Living disgrace’ the drop in gardai based at stations
By Maurice Garvey
DECREASING levels of gardai stationed at Ballyfermot, Sundrive and Crumlin, over the last 10 years is a “disgrace”, according to Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh.
Through Dáil questions, Deputy Ó Snodaigh asked Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan for a list of rank and file gardai attached to a number of Dublin South Central stations over the past ten years.
98 gardai were stationed in Ballyfermot in 2008 compared to 83 in 2017
Figures supplied by the Minister revealed Ballyfermot had 98 gardai in 2008, and 83 gardai at the end of 2017.
Sundrive station had 78 gardai in 2007 and 59 at the end of 2017, Crumlin station had 108 gardai in 2007 and 101 in 2017, whilst Terenure had 101 in 2007 and 77 gardai at the end of 2017.
Whilst the moratorium on garda recruitment has been lifted, and the State say their plans to increase overall garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 are “on track”, Ó Snodaigh believes the decrease has led to low morale within garda ranks.
Deputy Ó Snodaigh said: “There is no way that An Garda Síochána can carry out an adequate level of policing from Sundrive station with nearly a 25 per cent reduction in garda numbers since 2010. In Terenure, garda numbers are down 28 (three inspectors, 11 sergeants and 14 ordinary gardai).
“Some of these stations are operating in areas associated with a high level of gang related attacks, spates of house break-ins, and drug dealing. So much for targeting gangland crime.”
Low numbers cause low morale
He continued: “Coupled with the figures for neighbouring stations in Crumlin, Kilmainham, Kevin Street and Ballyfermot, the numbers of gardai in Dublin South Central is a living disgrace. Low numbers cause low morale amongst gardai and low garda visibility.”
In response to the Deputy, Minister Flanagan said it is the Garda Commissioner who is “responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various garda divisions.”
He was informed by the Commissioner that on December 31, 2017, there were 194 gardai assigned to the Clondalkin district, of whom 83 were assigned to Ballyfermot Garda Station.
Up to 15 community gardai are assigned to Clondalkin, and seven to Ballyfermot.
“When appropriate, the work of local gardai is supported by a number of garda national units such as the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Armed Support Units, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau,” said the Minister.
After the 2014 graduation of 1,600 new recruits in Templemore, 137 were assigned to the DMR West Division, with 118 assigned to the DMR South Division (16 and 14 assigned to Sundrive and Terenure respectively).
