Councillor calls for greater Garda presence – ten years on from station closure
The closure of rural Garda Station a decade ago has left the area vulnerable to criminals – as evidenced by the number of burglaries have been reported in recent weeks.
And in the continued absence of a barracks, it has led local Cllr James Charity to demand that Gardaí step up mobile patrols to monitor this rural area on a daily basis.
Cllr Charity’s call comes after a local commercial premises has now been subjected to the second break-in over the past year.
He said that this is just one of a number of business premises in the area targeted in recent months; households have also been hit in a criminal blitz.
Cllr Charity is now calling on the Garda Chief Superintendent to deploy members of the Roads Policing Unit to the area on a daily basis - so that locals would feel safe and criminals would face a greater deterrent.
“It's clear to see that shutting down our local Garda station was both ill thought out and short sighted and I'll be asking the Chief Superintendent to increase patrols and monitoring of the area as the number of what are now ongoing incidents that are unacceptable,” he said.
“All the indications are that the most recent burglary was extremely professional and well organised, with broadband lines being severed in advance of gaining access.
“If anyone saw anything suspicious in the area over the past few weeks that could help identify those involved, please come forward to assist,” added Cllr Charity.
He also said that, in general, any suspicious activity in the area should be reported to the Gardai and the public should not be reluctant to contact any Garda station to report matters of concern.
A couple of years back, the old Corrandulla Garda Station along with former stations in Maam Valley and Leenane were sold at auction for a combined total of €800,000 on behalf of the Office of Public Works.
The Corrandulla Station which, closed its doors in 2012, had fallen into a stated of dilapidation and was in need of refurbishment. It sold for €250,000.
Ten years prior to its closure, there was a Sergeant and two Gardaí located there but in later years that had been reduced to a single Garda.
In the months leading up to the announcement of its closure, there had been calls for a second Garda to be appointed so it came as a bombshell to the local community when the axe fell on this particular station.