O’ Donnell welcomes Garda Commissioner Harris’s attendance at Limerick Joint Policing Committee Meeting on Thursday 12th December
– Appearance comes on foot of invite from Senator O’ Donnell at Oireachtas Justice committee meeting in June
• Limerick must get its fair of additional 700 Gardai announced by Government in Budget
• Garda re-deployment from Mulgrave St Courthouse to frontline duties
• Strong Case for New Garda Stations in high growth areas like Castletroy/Annacotty & Dooradoyle/Raheen/Mungret Areas
Limerick Senator Kieran O’Donnell has today welcomed confirmation that Garda Commissioner Drew Harris will attend a Special meeting of Limerick’s Joint Policing committee on Thursday 12th December at 2pm in City Hall to discuss Policing priorities here in Limerick. This comes on foot of an invite extended by Senator O’Donnell to Garda Commissioner Harris at the Oireachtas Justice committee hearing in June.
Senator O’Donnell followed this up by formally writing to the Joint Policing committee to extend this invite.
“I think it is very important that Garda Commissioner Harris is visiting Limerick City on Thursday 12th December to see first-hand and to discuss a range of Policing matters in Limerick with the Joint Policing committee. We have seen various anti-social and more serious crimes here, which clearly indicate the need for extra Gardai on the ground.
“Therefore, It is imperative that we here in Limerick get our fair share of the welcome 700 additional trainee Gardai, announced by Government in the Budget. Allocation of these Gardai is an operational matter under the remit and control of the Garda Commissioner Drew. It needs to be impressed upon him our clear need for extra Community Gardai on the beat here in Limerick City centre, surburbs and throughout the County.
“Furthermore, the issue of re-deployment of up to 16 Gardai from Courthouse duties at Mulgrave Street to frontline duties in the City & environs as well as the genuine need for new Garda Stations in high growth populations areas like Castletroy/Annacotty and Dooradoyle/Raheen & Mungret must be on the Agenda for this Special meeting.
“Garda Commissioner Harris is receptive to both of these proposals as he indicated to me at the Justice Committee hearing in June where in response stated that he “wholeheartedly agreed” regarding re-deployment of Gardai from non-core duties and that “Gardai are too precious a resource to be doing a function that can be successfully undertaken by private providers of a security function. It is not to say we abandon the courts, if there is a particular threat, we would obviously be there as well, that is very clear”.
“On the need for new Garda stations, he responded to me by stating “undoubtedly with population growth, and what is anticipated over the next 5-10 years in terms of growth in housing, growth of commerce, there will be a case for additional stations, there is no doubt about that”.
“I look forward to welcoming Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to Limerick City on 12th December where he can witness first-hand our need for extra policing resources and in particular more Gardai on the beat.
END