Garda chief 'paints bleak picture for Mayo policing'

The meeting by members of Mayo County Council with the Garda Commissioner revealed the stark reality of policing in Mayo.

That’s according to Aontú Councillor Paul Lawless in the aftermath of talks today with Drew Harris.

Councillor Lawless outlined: "The Garda Commissioner has confirmed that the force in Mayo is shrinking.

"Guards who are retiring are not being replaced. Recruits are being sent to Dublin while Mayo is experiencing a garda force in decline.

“This is a disgraceful situation. The gardai are stretched beyond limit and their morale is on the floor.

"Commissioner Harris also noted that the Garda force nationwide is down approximately 1,000 members.

"Furthermore, numerous transfer requests from Gardaí currently stationed in Dublin, wishing to return to Mayo, cannot be accommodated due to critical staffing shortages.

“The decline in personnel, compounded by bureaucratic processes, has eroded proactive policing in the county.

"Garda visibility in many communities throughout Mayo is almost non-existent while drug pushers take over the streets and terrorise many families.

“People have a right to feel safe in their communities. People have a right to expect to see garda visibility in their neighbourhoods.

“We need to significantly increase the number of personnel in the force in Mayo.

"Under this government and Drew Harris, the guards is no longer an attractive proposition.

"For the first time in the 100-year history the guards voted overwhelmingly for a vote of ‘no confidence’ in this Commissioner.

"We must address the pay and conditions in the force. We must restore the proactive policing model and garda visibility. The ordinary hardworking guards need our help.

“I raised the issue of the spike of crime in Ballinrobe. I specifically outlined how unfair it was to the people in the halfway house who do not have the rehabilitation support and the community of Ballinrobe who do not have the policing resources.

"I asked the Commissioner to begin the process of reinstating Ballinrobe into a full time Garda station.

"The Commissioner acknowledged the difficulties in the town and agreed to allocate an additional sergeant in the town of Ballinrobe.”

In addition, Cllr. Lawless presented the Commissioner with the Ballinrobe Neighbourhood Watch report, which the Commissioner agreed to study in detail.