Sir, – As part of the Government’s attempt to balance the books after the financial crash, 139 Garda stations were closed between 2012 and 2013.
Recently five of those properties were sold between 2021 and 2022 and which raised over €1 million for the exchequer. This averages out to over €200,000 per property, minute to what prices for properties are going for today.
Not only were there closures of Garda stations but some stations were downgraded or subsumed into larger stations, leaving the ordinary citizens of this State without a Garda station in their local sub-districts.
Stations which had been opened for 24-hour periods were downgraded and only opened for a few hours in the daytime.
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What rural communities lost when their local stations closed or downgraded is the physical presence of their local Garda members. Now they get an odd passing patrol car with no community Garda involvement.
This decision by the Government of the day was a mistake. The lack of proper consultation with the public was glaring, similar to that when decisions were made to close our local post offices and banks.
While some would say that some of these stations were non-productive, others would say that they gave a sense of security to the local populace.
It impacted on how safe a community felt.
Locals, especially those in rural areas of Ireland, must now travel further to gain access to their local stations to make complaints, or get forms stamped or signed.
While some stations were not fit for purpose, due to the lack of proper investment, many were upgraded only to be closed.
While those in Government maintained that this type of restructuring was needed, many rural communities were exposed to the dangers of increased criminality and anti-social behaviour.
They were left exposed and vulnerable.
In a time of housing crisis some these stations could have been used, if not reopened as Garda stations, as social and affordable housing.
The decision to close these stations was short-term gain but what wasn’t taken into consideration was the impact on local communities. – Yours, etc,
CHRISTY GALLIGAN,
Letterkenny,
Co Donegal.