Concern at 90 percent cut in garda station’s opening hours

Concern at 90 percent cut in garda station’s opening hours  


More gardaí on the beat — Supt Doherty

Áine Ryan

PROPOSALS to cutback the opening times of Swinford Garda Station by almost 90 percent were challenged at a public meeting in a town centre hotel last week. The meeting, which was attended by senior gardaí, local county councillors and some 150 members of the public, was told that the swingeing cuts would not cause any change to the number of gardaí stationed in the area.
Supt Joe Doherty assured the meeting in the Gateway Hotel that the cutback from 168 hours (24-7) to 18 hours would improve policing in the area as more gardaí would be free to go out into the community. The station will now be open to the public for three hours per day from Mondays to Fridays, and two hours per day over the weekend.
“The station will function as normal but it won’t be open to the public,” Supt Doherty explained. “Ballinrobe and Ballyhaunis operate with this system and the public are satisfied with their policing service. There will be no reduction in the quality of service.”
Eighteen gardaí, two detective gardaí, two sergeants and six garda reserves are based in Swinford Station. A team of gardaí is also based at Ireland West Airport Knock, while there are four gardaí in Charlestown, as well as a sergeant in Kiltimagh and a garda based in Kilkelly.
Speaking to The Mayo News yesterday, former Fine Gael councillor and well-known Swinford businessman Joe Mellett welcomed the clarifications made at the meeting and emphasised that people would still be able to make an appointment, outside opening hours, if they wished to meet members of the gardaí. However, he said there would have to be a compromise on the dramatic cutback of hours during which the station will be open.
“This will relieve four or five gardaí, who are office-bound as orderlies, to come out into the community. I would say when you look at the statistics the amount of people going to the station is extremely small. I suggested that a civilian could man the station, but apparently that is not acceptable,” Joe Mellett said.

Community
THE transfer of Swinford Court House by the Courts Service to Mayo County Council for the use of the community has been welcomed by Deputy John O’Mahony.
“This is a good outcome for the people of Swinford insofar as it keeps the Court House within the local community as a viable and functioning building. Like all court houses, Swinford Court House played a huge role in the life of the town,” he said.