Gardaí ‘stretched enormously’ in Mahon

A SHARP decline in the number of gardaí stationed in Mahon needs to be urgently reversed, according to a Cork TD. 

Sinn Féin TD for Cork South Central Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said the continued decline in numbers at Mahon’s Blackrock Garda Station is “alarming”.

There are now 17 gardaí stationed in Mahon, down from 31 in 2009, and 22 in 2017.

“Mahon is a very strong community. It has a great community and voluntary spirit, but I think an awful lot of people feel that it is not being properly served in terms of public services,” Mr Ó Laoghaire told The Echo.

“The lack of gardaí is just one example of that. There are some excellent gardaí in the station doing their best but they are stretched enormously. The fact that there is almost half as many gardaí there now as in 2009 is remarkable.

“There have been challenges. There has been some antisocial behaviour. There has been criminal damage to the excellent sports clubs in the area, Ringmahon Rangers AFC, Ballinure GAA, and St Michael’s GAA.

“We need to have that presence on the ground. The best deterrent against crime and anti-social behaviour is a visible garda presence, but it’s not going to be possible for the gardaí, with the best will in the world, and the excellent community gardaí that are there: They are not going to be able to provide the presence on the ground that they need to, when the numbers have decreased so much.”

Mr Ó Laoghaire urged Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and Justice Minister Helen McEntee to address the matter, so that “we bring Mahon Garda Station back up to the kind of numbers it needs”.

Separately, Labour Party representative for Cork city, Peter Horgan, said the number of newly trained gardaí assigned to Blackrock, Douglas, and Carrigaline cumulatively since 2015 amounted to three gardaí. “The national number has dropped to 13,907 in November 2022, from 17,750 in March 2020,” he said.