Locals call for extension to Garda station’s opening hours

A LOCAL TD has called for the opening hours at a North Dublin Garda station to be extended to ensure that people in the area can live without fear.

Dublin Fingal TD Darragh O’Brien (FF) made the call regarding Malahide Garda Station after attending a Fingal Joint Policing Committee meeting. 

The meeting was open to residents in the Swords, Donabate/Portrane, Portmarnock, Kinsealy and Malahide areas. 

Deputy O’Brien said the early closure of Malahide Garda Station – it currently opens from 7am to 9pm seven days per week – must be reviewed.

“An extension to the hours of operation is crucial in providing for the safety and protection of the local community,” he said.

“Dublin Fingal continues to be the fastest growing county in Ireland year on year and remains the busiest district in the capital, yet over the past five years Garda numbers have been cut in the Dublin Fingal area by 20 per cent. Swords in particular have lost 12 full-time gardaí in the same period.

“I have been campaigning for an increase in resources allocated to gardaí across Fingal for some time now.

“I fully support the submission made by local gardaí to the Minister for Justice to emphasise the critical need to extend the hours of operation at Malahide Garda Station.” 

A spokesman for the Department of Justice said the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda divisions and the Justice Minister has no direct role in the matter. 

“Decisions in relation to Garda station opening hours are also a matter for the Garda Commissioner,” he told Northside People.  

“Malahide Garda Station is part of the Coolock District and as of March 31, 2017, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 204 gardai assigned to the Coolock District, 32 of which were assigned to Malahide Garda Station. 

“An Garda Síochána has a range of measures in place to enable the public to contact Garda stations outside of opening hours.

“For example, phone calls outside of office hours or to stations that are not manned at the time of the call are redirected to the local District Headquarter station and answered.”  

The spokesman said the Government is committed to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime.  

“To make this a reality for all, the Government has in place a plan to achieve an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians,” he said.  

“This year, funding has been provided for the recruitment of 800 Garda recruits and up to 500 civilians to support the wide-ranging reform plan in train in An Garda Síochána. Funding has also been provided for the recruitment of 300 Garda Reserves.”

The spokesman pointed out that since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014, 981 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and five new gardaí were assigned to Coolock District only last week. 

“We are also informed that another 600 trainee gardai are scheduled to attest this year which will see Garda numbers, taking account of projected retirements, increase to around the 13,500 mark by year end, an increase of 500 since the end of 2016,” he said.   

The spokesman said this focus on investment in personnel is “critical”.  

“The moratorium on recruitment introduced in 2010 resulted in a significant reduction in the strength of An Garda Síochána,” he added.  

“We are now rebuilding the organisation and providing the Commissioner with the resources she needs to allow her to deploy increasing numbers of gardaí, including community gardaí across every Garda Division, including the Coolock District, in the coming years.”