Four new gardai for Dundalk but no Superintendent

ALTHOUGH four new gardai from Templemore have been assigned to Dundalk Garda Station, there is ‘no clear light at the end of the tunnel’ in regards the appointment of a Superintendent to fill the vacancy left when Superintendent Gerry Curley, according to Chief Superintendent Christy Mangan.

He was responding to a query from Cllr Maeve Yore regarding garda numbers and the appointment of a Sergeant to Blackrock as well as Omeath and Hackballscross. The Independent councillor has asked if the shifts could be changed in Blackrock to allow more patrols following incidents of drinking in public the previous weekend.

Inspector Liam Archibald said he didn’t see any scope for changing the shifts in Blackrock although they are trying to move more manpower there. There is no Sergeant in the station and the appointment of one would make ‘a massive difference’.

Chief Superintendent Mangan described what had happened in Blackrock as ‘a serious issue’ and promised the gardai would be there the following weekend.

He also undertook to look at the resources in Blackrock but pointed out that while there were four brand new gardai in Dundalk, they were still down a Superintendent and there was no clear light as to when he would get one, and there was also no Superintendent in Ardee.

It was agreed that the committee would write to the Garda Commissioner about the new for a Superintendent for Dundalk once they get a response to a previous request in regard to a Sergeant for Blackrock.