Garda chief allays fears over policing revamp in Galway

Galway’s top Garda has moved to allay public fears about a loss of superintendents in Tuam and Clifden, which is part of an ongoing major shake-up of policing in the county.

Chief Superintendent Tom Curley has confirmed that Gort Garda Station will have its inspector restored as part of the modernisation plans for the Force.

Chief Supt Curley said the Galway Division was chosen as a pilot project for a new model of policing, which is the first major overhaul of An Garda Síochána in its close-on 100-year existence.

It has already resulted in large-scale civilianisation of the Force in Galway, which is freeing-up more Garda manpower to police in the community, he said.

Referring to criticism of the organisation by the Disclosures Tribunal, Chief Supt Curley said the force was “after getting a fair bashing, and rightly so” and this revamp was an attempt to change how communities are policed.

Under the reforms, a superintendent will be responsible for a couple of districts which will be known as ‘community engagement hubs’.

Salthill and Clifden Districts have been amalgamated into one ‘hub’ with one superintendent; the same is true for Loughrea and Gort and Ballinasloe and Tuam, which will lose its superintendent.

Chief Supt Curley was speaking at a public meeting of the County Joint Policing Committee in O’Sullivan’s Hotel in Gort last week, where he was responding to queries from Councillor Mary Hoade about fears in Tuam and surrounding towns and villages about the loss of a superintendent in North Galway.

Cllr Hoade said there were rumours and concerns in Tuam that its Garda station was being downgraded.

Chief Supt Curley said he’d love to have twelve superintendents, and to have a Garda on every corner, but he had to manage the resources that were available to him. He confirmed that he had six superintendents before the shake-up, and he will have six once it’s completed but two will be based in the new Regional HQ in Murrough on the Dublin Road in the city.

Responding to queries from Galway East TD, Anne Rabbitte (FF), and Councillor Joe Byrne (FG), Chief Supt Curley confirmed that Gort would be getting a new Inspector.

Tuam, Clifden and Ballinasloe will all have Inspectors, too, after it was agreed nationally more resources will be given to Galway – he has looked for 12 additional Inspectors.

He insisted there would be no negative impact on policing in communities as a result of the revamp, which was in fact designed to improve service to the public and have a greater presence of officers on the ground rather than stuck behind desks.

“The only difference for Gardaí in Tuam is where they send their papers to,” said Chief Supt Curley.

Deputy Rabbitte welcomed his assurances that an inspector would be appointed to Gort.

She referred to a front-page report in the Connacht Tribune in 2015, about the loss of Gort’s superintendent, which was viewed as a downgrading by the public. Deputy Rabbitte said Gort and Loughrea Garda stations covered a huge area, from Portumna Bridge to Kinvara Pier, and from Craughwell to the border with Clare.

Cllr Byrne also welcomed the appointment of a Gort inspector and said: “Hopefully it is a first step in the eventual appointment of a dedicated superintendent”.

The appointment of an Inspector “sends out a very strong message to the citizens of South Galway that the best possible policing is in place,” added Cllr Byrne.