Garda Commissioner boosts campaign for new Sligo Garda Station - Cllr Casserly

CONSTRUCTION of a new Garda station in Sligo received a boost last week with the hitherto reluctant Garda Commissioner Drew Harris giving his seal of approval for the project. Independent Cllr Marie Casserly and fellow members of the Sligo Joint Policing Committee were told at their meeting last Friday that Cmr Harris was now also supporting the project. During his report to the members of the JPC, Chief Superintendent Aidan Glacken said that Commisioner Drew Harris had indicated a change of position in relation to the provision of a new Garda station in Sligo.

Cllr Casserly said that with the Commissioner’s approval there is no reason why the project at Caltragh couldn’t proceed.

The Independent councillor welcomed the comments from

Commissioner Harris which he said was an endorsement of local wishes to have a new station in Sligo provided. “This is good news, but we have a way to go,” she said.

She tabled the following motion for last week’s Joint Policing Committee meeting: “As the reason given not to build a new Garda station in Sligo in all replies by the Justic Minister and the Commissioner was because the divisional headquarters was to be in Letterkenny, I am calling on this JPC to request that a new Garda station be built as a divisional headquarters as was previously planned for.” In response to that motion, Cllr Casserly said the Garda Commissioner had now endorsed the call to provide a new station HQ in Sligo.

Last month Justice Minister Helen McEntee and the Minister with responsibility for the OPW, Patrick O’Donovan were both reported to also be in favour of the project. In September the Sligo Weekender reported how the decision not to proceed with the amalgamation of Sligo/ Leitrim and Donegal Garda divisions the opportunity is now there to review the decision not to build a modern Garda HQ on the Caltragh site which is in the ownership of the OPW.