Superintendent ’merry-go-round’

Town Council to write to Commissioner about superintendent ‘merry-go-round’


Michael Duffy

CASTLEBAR councillors have requested that the Town Council write to the Garda Commissioner and the Minister for Justice to request that the next appointed superintendent in the town be a long-term appointment.
Cllr Aidan Crowley informed last week’s monthly meeting of the authority that Supt Eugene Brennan, who has been in Castlebar for the last 18 months, had left the town on December 30, having been transferred to Ardee in County Louth.
All of the councillors at last week’s meeting were warm in their praise for the work done by Supt Brennan in the town but highly critical of his short tenure.
Supt Brennan arrived in Castlebar from Finglas in May 2007 but the transient nature of his appointment was emphasised by the fact that he never moved permanently into Castlebar and stayed in temporary accommodation in Breaffy House Resort.
Cllr Noel Campbell proposed that the Council write to the Garda Commissioner and the Minister for Justice and request that the next appointment in the town be for a lengthy period.
“The current situation, where the highest-ranking Garda official in the town, is changing nearly every year is like a merry-go-round. It takes time for the superintendent to build relationships with all facets of the community and in the case of Supt Brennan, everyone in the town had just got to know him very well. We are very sorry to lose him as he was a superb communicator, which was emphasised through his great relationship with the residents’ associations in the town,” said Cllr Campbell.
Cllr Aidan Crowley, who initially brought up the issue, seconded the proposal.
“What we need is stability and I for one am very sorry to see Supt Brennan leave. I worked very closely with him [through his work as a solicitor] and the way he dealt with young offenders was quite extraordinary. He talked with them on a one-on-one basis and he went about his business in a quiet, unassuming way.”
Cllr Crowley said it did seem at present that the Garda management were using Castlebar as a base where superintendents were placed en route to promotion.
Cllrs Blackie Gavin and Eugene McCormack said they were sorry to hear of Supt Brennan’s departure, while Cllr Michael Kilcoyne felt that Garda headquarters should adopt a system where superintendents are left in an area for a minimum amount of time.
Mayor of Castlebar, Cllr Kevin Guthrie, said Supt Brennan had done a lot of work for Castlebar in the short time he had been stationed in Castlebar.
“One of the lasting legacies of Supt Brennan’s time in Castlebar was the way he dealt with the anti-social behaviour problems in Knockthomas. He appointed a Liaison Officer and sat down and listened to the concerns of the residents and now the situation had been dealt with satisfactorily,” said Cllr Guthrie.
A spokesperson for the Gardaí in Castlebar told The Mayo News that everyone in the station was sad to see Supt Brennan leave  and that an announcement with regard to his replacement would be made ‘in the near future’.
Garda headquarters are to release the yearly ‘Promotions List’ this Friday and it is expected that a new superintendent will be announced for Castlebar at that stage.

Castlebar’s ever-changing superintendents
SUPT Eugene Brennan is the fourth superintendent to have served in the county town during this term of Castlebar Town Council. Supt Pat Leahy, who replaced the retiring Joe Staunton in 2003, was in charge when the Council was elected in 2004 but he left in March of 2005 to take up a position in Dublin that saw him co-ordinating the Garda’s Air Support Unit, Sub-Aqua Unit, Canine Unit and Mountain Unit. He was replaced by Supt Pat Byrne, who transferred from the Criminal Assets Bureau. However, Supt Byrne only lasted eleven months before taking up up an appointment in February 2006 on the newly-established Professional Standards Unit for An Garda Síochána.
He was replaced by Supt John Quirke who lasted until May 2007 before leaving to take up an appointment in Clondalkin Garda Station. He was replaced by Supt Brennan.