Gardaí seek to reassure public in Cork over potential amalgamation of units

A senior member of Garda management in the Cork City division sought last night to reassure members of the public concerned about proposals to amalgamate garda units across areas which have had, until now, their own dedicated gardaí.

Speaking at the annual Carrigaline Garda Community Forum meeting, Superintendent Finbarr O’Sullivan, who is in charge of Togher Garda Station, said gardaí were attempting to manage available resources the best way they possibly could.

Several public representatives told the meeting they would strongly oppose any moves to amalgamate garda units in the area. Earlier this week the Garda Representative Association (GRA) warned that a lack of manpower could, “within a month”, mean the amalgamation of garda units covering Carrigaline and Douglas, and the merging of units covering Bishopstown and Ballincollig.

While one garda unit would currently be on duty in one area and another in the neighbouring area, under an alternative plan, one unit would work in one area and would simultaneously be on call in the other.

The garda sub-stations at Douglas, Carrigaline, Bishopstown, and Ballincollig are all run from Togher Garda Station, the Cork City South community engagement headquarters.

Supt O’Sullivan said there appeared to be a public concern that garda sub-station opening times would be affected by the amalgamation of garda units, but he said this would not be the case.

“Station opening hours are fixed on a monthly basis, but if the [garda] car is in Carrigaline, it does not automatically mean the station is open,” he said.

He said that with a reduction in garda numbers, An Garda Síochána has had to adopt a more fluid approach to policing, and he said that gardaí would be assigned to incidents by central command, and would respond from all over the city as required.

Several local councillors voiced disquiet at the possibility of amalgamation.