Gardai walk out over station conditions

Three Donegal gardaí have abandoned their Garda station, claiming it is in a state of"terrible disrepair", it emerged today.

The three carried out a long-standing threat yesterday to leave the station in Muff, Co Donegal, near the border with Derry.

Part of the building which was used as living quarters was classified as a health hazard back in the 1970s and has been vacant since then. Mr Michael O'Boyce

A Garda spokesman said policing levels in the area wereunaffected and that, pending refurbishment work, the three officers should be back at their posts within a week.

Mr Michael O'Boyce of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) said: "It is an old building that has gone into a terrible state of disrepair. Part of the building which was used as living quarters was classified as a health hazard back in the 1970s and has been vacant since then."

Mr O'Boyce said that money allocated for refurbishment of the Muff station in the early 1980s went on combating a dry-rot problem.

The officers set a deadline of last November for improvements to be done but, after talks, were satisfied that progress had been made, he said.

"That was six months ago and nothing has happenedso they left yesterday," Mr O'Boyce said.

"We have got a commitment that a temporary building will be put on the site in the next few days but it is only a short-term measure. The solution is to acquire a new building."

PA