NO HQ STATUS FOR SLIGO GARDA STATION
Sligo’s proposed new regional Garda headquarters at a site at Caltragh is in jeopardy according to Fianna Fáil TD, Marc MacSharry.
He’s blaming senior Fine Gael figures for the shelving of the plan for Sligo with Letterkenny being favoured with regional headquarter status.
“The Fine Gael government announced the provision of a new Garda Divisional and Regional Headquarters in Sligo several times over recent years.
“At a cost of approximately €1.35m, the OPW procured a large site at Caltragh for this purpose.
“It has come to my attention that political engineering by senior Fine Gael politicians changed the location of the Garda divisional and regional HQs to Letterkenny and Galway respectively.”
OPW sources, he says, have now confirmed to him that as a result the original plans for a new Garda HQ for Sligo is in limbo.
Originally, it was intended to be part of a bundle of three PPP projects at Sligo, Macroom in County Cork and Clonmel in County Tipperary.
“It has been confirmed to me that under the Fine Gael plan, Sligo may not now get its new Garda station,” said Deputy MacSharry.
Refurbishment of the existing station on Pearse Road has taken place but no progress at all has taken place with regard to the site at Caltragh.
It was in 2015 that then Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald promised a new station for Sligo following complaints from Gardaí about the inadequacy of the present building which was deemed a health and safety hazard.
Deputy MacSharry said that on December 18th when this first came to his attention he submitted Parliamentary Questions to Fine Gael Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan, and OPW Minister Kevin Moran.
Deputy MacSharry asked what the current status was of the proposed new Garda
Station projects within a bundle including Sligo, Clonmel and Macroom.
He also asked if and whether there had been a reduction in the scale and plans relevant to the proposed new Garda station at Sligo on a site already purchased at Caltragh resulting from proposed divisional and regional restructuring changes.
He further asked if the proposed new Garda Station at Caltragh would proceed and if so what was its current status.
“Regrettably, these Parliamentary Questions were never answered which is a breach of standard parliamentary protocol. I am appalled at the dishonest way in which this whole matter has been handled and regret that Fine Gael political meddling has jeopardised this much needed investment in our law enforcement infrastructure. Our hard working Gardaí and our community deserve better,” said Deputy MacSharry.
He added that if in Government after the election it would be a priority for him to reverse Fine Gael’s “broken promise” and provide a new modern Garda station for Sligo and the North West.