Time to get desk-bound Garda’ back on the beat

Almost 90 members out of a Gardaí force of 600 in Galway city and county spend their time engaged in full time administrative duties to the public – as opposed to getting out on the beat.

The figures have been described as disturbing by one opposition TD – and at a time when the number of rural crimes has shown an increase, with travelling gangs targeting local shops and post offices.And he has called for additional Garda reserves to be recruited as a matter of urgency to facilitate the freeing up of the majority of these desk-bound Gardaí who are tied to their stations.

It has been claimed that the number of Gardaí who are carrying out administrative functions could be utilised to better effect in some of the closed rural Garda station.

The amount of time that Galway Gardaí are tied up in court has also been slammed – and it has been stated that the closure of the smaller courts around the county has accentuated this problem.

Figures obtained by Deputy Ulick Burke show that over 14% of Gardaí in Galway city and county are confined to their stations carrying out clerical and administrative duties.

He described this as outrageous and at a time when there are an unprecedented number of retirements from the force.

“It is quite disturbing that there are so many guards tied to their stations when we are told that the M6 motorway has provided ease of access for criminal gangs from Dublin.

“Elderly people in rural parts of County Galway are living in terror and I know for a fact that many rural crimes are not even being reported because there is no local Garda available,” Deputy Burke.

He has now written to the Department of Justice asking that more Garda reserves be appointed to some of the larger Garda stations like Galway city, Tuam, Salthill, Ballinasloe, Loughrea and Gort to free up rank and file members who are fully occupied with administrative tasks.

Deputy Burke said that the appointment of Garda reserves was announced in a fanfare a number of years ago but very few had been appointed in the meantime.

The figures released by the Department shows that the number of Gardaí in Galway has actually increased significantly over the past four years.

There are almost 90 more Gardaí attached to stations in the city and county compared to 2006, with the biggest increases being in Galway city and Oranmore – the latter went from a complement of six Gardaí to 29.

Deputy Burke also said that the closure of rural courts has had the effect of wasting valuable man hours.

“It has resulted in the existing courts being so busy that Gardaí can often be stuck in courthouses for five and six hours waiting for their cases to be heard,” he remarked.