Ten Galway Garda stations to shut next week

Date Published: 23-Jan-2013

THE closure of ten Garda stations across County Galway next week has delivered another clear message from the Government that rural Ireland is at the bottom of their priority list, it was claimed this week.

Despite official Garda assurances that the level of service to the affected areas would be maintained, a former Minister and a farm leader said this week that the closures were very bad news for the West of Ireland.

Fianna Fáil Agricultural Spokesman, Éamon Ó Cuív, told the Connacht Tribune, that the real worry in relation to Garda Station closures was that they only represented the ‘tip of the iceberg’, with many more closures coming down the track over the coming years.

Galway IFA Chairman, Michael Flynn, said the closure of the rural Garda stations was just another piece of ‘chipping away’ at services in rural Ireland whether it be poor roads, the closure of post offices and the lack of an adequate public transport system.

However a Galway Garda spokesman, said the stations closed were all single person facilities, and the Gardaí concerned were being transferred to the nearest main station or sub-station.

“There will be no reduction in Garda personnel as regards those closures and we are giving a cast-iron assurance that the same level of service will be maintained,” said the Garda spokesman.

He also said that between now and March, the Galway Garda Division would be getting ten new patrol vehicles to replace the older cars in the Garda fleet.

The ten Galway rural stations to close next Wednesday are Kiltulla, Leenane, Kilconly, Ballymoe, Menlough, Tynagh, New Inn, Shanaglish, Kilchreest and Kilcolgan.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.