Garda Commissioner meeting paints bleak picture for Mayo – Lawless

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris held a behind closed doors meeting with officials and elected representatives of Mayo County Council this afternoon in Castlebar.
Aontú councillor Paul Lawless, who is a candidate in the forthcoming General Election, was one of those in attendance at the meeting, and he feels the meeting did not paint a bright future for policing in the county.
“The meeting with the Garda Commissioner revealed the stark reality of policing in Mayo,” said the Knock based councillor. “The number of Gardaí are falling in the county while population increases. The Garda Commissioner has confirmed that the force in Mayo is shrinking. Guards who are retiring are not being replaced. Recruits are being sent to Dublin while Mayo is experiencing a garda force in decline. This is a disgraceful situation. The Gardaí are stretched beyond limit and their morale is on the floor.
Cllr Lawless said Commissioner Harris also noted that the Garda force nationwide is down approximately 1,000 members. Furthermore, numerous transfer requests from Gardaí currently stationed in Dublin, wishing to return to Mayo, cannot be accommodated due to critical staffing shortages.

Cllr Paul Lawless. 

“The decline in personnel, compounded by bureaucratic processes, has eroded proactive policing in the county. Garda visibility in many communities throughout Mayo is almost non-existent. People have a right to feel safe in their communities. People have a right to expect to see Garda visibility in their neighbourhoods.
“We need to significantly increase the number of personnel in the force in Mayo. Under this government and Drew Harris, the Guards is no longer an attractive proposition for employment. For the first time in the 100-year history the Guards voted overwhelmingly for a vote of ‘no confidence’ in this Commissioner. We must address the pay and conditions in the force. We must restore the proactive policing model and Garda visibility. The ordinary hardworking Guards need our help.”

“I raised the issue of the spike of crime in Ballinrobe. I specifically outlined how unfair it was to the people in the halfway house who do not have the rehabilitation support and the community of Ballinrobe who do not have the policing resources. I asked the Commissioner to begin the process of reinstating Ballinrobe into a full time Garda station. The Commissioner acknowledged the difficulties in the town and agreed to allocate an additional Sergeant in the town of Ballinrobe.”
In addition, Cllr Lawless presented the Commissioner with the Ballinrobe Neighbourhood Watch report, which the Commissioner agreed to study in detail.

Cllr Alma Gallagher.

Ballyhaunis plea
Also at the meeting, Cllr Alma Gallagher formally called for the reinstatement of Ballyhaunis Garda Station as a full-time station.
Cllr Gallagher cited alarming increases in crime across the east and south Mayo region. She pointed out a concerning link between the reduction in the Garda force and the escalating crime rates, calling on authorities to promptly take steps to reinstate local Garda stations as full-time facilities. “Last year, only one Garda recruit was appointed to Mayo, despite a significant number of retirements and resignations within the force. The decision to downsize rural substations like Ballyhaunis is short sighted. Ballyhaunis needs to be reinstated as full-time Garda station to better serve residents. The town of Ballyhaunis is growing three times faster than the average growth rate in County Mayo. Added to this the Immigration Office from the Mayo/Roscommon/Longford Division Headquarters has been relocated from Castlebar to Ballyhaunis Garda Station.”
“Currently, Claremorris Garda Station is the only full-time station serving the entire east and south of Mayo, and it is becoming increasingly overstretched.”
Cllr Gallagher's comments come in light of crime statistics revealing that 17 towns in Mayo have experienced an increase in crime. She highlighted reports from the Central Statistics Office and the Garda Pulse system stating that almost 60 percent of Garda stations in County Mayo recorded increases in crime reports last year. Notably, crime reports in Ballyhaunis rose from 111 in 2019 to 138 in 2023. Other notable increases include: Charlestown from 68 reports in 2019 to 82 in 2023, Knock increased from 34 reports in 2019 to 42 in 2023. Cllr Gallagher emphasised the necessity of restoring full-time Garda services in these areas to combat the growing concerns over safety and security in the community.
“The local community needs to feel secure and supported by an adequate police presence,” Cllr Gallagher added. “We cannot allow rural areas to be neglected. The winter months are approaching, and we will once again witness an increase in the spate of rural crimes. Resources must be invested to ensure our communities feel safe and break the cycle of burglaries who are opportunistic, taking advantage of the N17 and lack of Garda presence.”