Policing ‘downgrading’ criticised

LOCAL TD Marian Harkin has criticised what she described as “the unacceptable downgrading of policing in Sligo”.

She said there was “a government U-turn on policing resources in the Sligo-Leitrim area with the decision not to proceed with the construction of a new garda station in Sligo town and the fact that there is no armed response unit located in the garda district”.

“This means if an armed response unit is needed, it comes from Ballyshannon or Galway, depending on time and availability,” she said.

The Independent TD was speaking in the Dail last week where she challenged the Taoiseach on the matter.

Referring to the U-turn, Deputy Harkin said that they had gone from a situation 18 months ago when the OPW had purchased a site for a new garda station but then scrapped the project and are now replacing it with “a completely useless” refurbishment programme of the existing station.

Deputy Harkin spoke of a meeting held in Sligo recently at which garda management in Sligo, the OPW and the accommodation unit of An Garda Siochana met to discuss the suitability of the station. “It is my understanding that it was made abundantly clear that the existing footprint of Sligo Garda Station will not be able to accommodate the requirements of a modern, efficient policing service,” she said.

Calling on the Taoiseach to intervene, she said: “Back in 2017, over 150 Gardai walked out of Sligo Garda Station because of deplorable working conditions – how bad was it for that to happen.”

Deputy Harkin emphasised that “this is not a politician saying we need a new garda station, it is the gardai themselves, it is garda management”.

Responding to the Taoiseach’s assertion that 620 more gardai were appointed nationally, Deputy Harkin emphasised that none of them can be accommodated in Sligo Garda Station, as it was “already bursting at the seams”.

Regarding the armed response unit, she said that when it was needed it had to come from Galway approximately 50% of the time.

Deputy Harkin said that this, on top of the U-turn on the garda station, was “adding insult to injury”.

“Galway is 140 km from Sligo, 160 km from Manorhamilton, so the message from government to the people of Sligo and Leitrim, is that policing is being downgraded and people need answers,” she said.

Addressing the Taoiseach, Deputy Harkin said that while certain matters were the responsibility of garda management, the government was in charge of overall policing policy and could not “duck that responsibility”.

She welcomed the Taoiseach’s commitment to speak to the Minister for Justice regarding the need for a new garda station.

But she said that the time for talking was over.

“The plans are in place, the site is purchased, and we need to see the new garda station built,” Deputy Harkin said.