Over 100 Gardaí at new Galway HQ

Just over 600 Gardaí are stationed in the Galway Garda Division, according to new figures from the Minister for Justice – with 113 of these assigned to new regional headquarters in the city.

Minister Charlie Flanagan was responding to a written question from Galway West Independent Deputy Noel Grealish, who asked for a breakdown on the number of Garda and civilian staff stationed at the new HQ and the number of hours per day staff are working at the facility.

Minister Flanagan said that as of January 31 – the latest date for which figures are readily available – there were 606 Gardaí in the Galway Garda Division, of whom 113 are assigned to the Western Region HQ on the eastern side of the city.

“There are also 28 Garda Reserves and 77 Garda civilian staff attached to the Galway Division.

“Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of these resources,” the Minister said.

He added that since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014, almost 2,600 Garda recruits have been assigned to mainstream duties nationwide, of whom 41 members have been assigned to the Galway Division.

Minister Flanagan said that Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has plans to recruit a total of 600 trainee Gardaí in 2019 and 600 civilian staff.

“This Garda Staff recruitment will allow the Commissioner to redeploy a further 500 fully trained Gardaí from administrative duties to frontline policing in 2019.

“I believe that the injection of this large number of experienced officers into the field, along with the new recruits, will be really beneficial in terms of protecting communities.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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