Sligo Garda Station assessment welcomed by Cllr Casserly
A LONG-AWAITED Strategic Assessment of the planned works for Sligo Garda Station is under way after a long-drawn-out delay.
Cllr Marie Casserly, Independent, has been informed that An Garda Siochána has engaged an economic consulting firm to carry out the assessment.
Welcoming the news, she said that she believes the assessment will conclude that refurbishing the station is a waste of money. A new station is needed, she said.
Cllr Casserly is one of several local representatives who have consistently raised issues with the inadequate facilities, layout, accommodation, and space at the Garda Station on Pearse Road which has been described as not fit for purpose on numerous occasions. In response to a letter from Cllr Casserly to An Taoiseach, Micheál
Martin, she received a reply from Minister of State Patrick O’Donovan indicating that the assessment of the planned works was now in train. “Once that assessment has been finalised, it will be used to assist An Garda Síochána in the decision with regard to the refurbishment of the remainder of the station,” Cllr Casserly has been informed in a response from Minister O’Donovan’s private secretary. The response from Minister O’Donovan added that it was anticipated that an early draft of the assessment report will be provided for review by the end of the year.
In her original letter, Cllr Casserly pointed out that last May, more than six months ago, a strategic assessment was promised to be undertaken by Garda Estate Management, adding that at the time of writing by her, no assessment has been carried out.