Work to start on long-awaited new garda station in Cork town

A senior member of An Garda Síochána has said it is intended the sod will be turned on the long-awaited Garda station in Macroom in the coming months.

Speaking at the reopening of the newly refurbished Coachford Garda station, assistant commissioner Eileen Foster said work on the Macroom station, which will also serve as the new Garda divisional headquarters for Cork county, will commence in the third quarter of this year.

The new station, on a greenfield site on the Millstreet Rd side of Macroom town, will incorporate a two- to four-storey building in a secure courtyard with adjacent car parking, providing gardaí with modern accommodation and facilities.

Background work 

Speaking to The Echo, Cork North West Fianna Fáil TD Aindrias Moynihan said that a lot of background work has been undertaken to deliver the planned facility.

“It is a project that I have been driving there now over a number of years, a huge development and a real opportunity for Macroom,” said Mr Moynihan.

“It is going to be a big improvement for people using the Garda station and for people working there. They will have a much more modern and better environment.

“This didn’t come about overnight. There has been a lot of background work getting it through to this stage.”

Sooner rather than later 

Cork North West Fine Gael TD John Paul O’Shea told The Echo that the new station is of huge importance.

“It is a big investment from An Garda Síochána in the area, so we would be hopeful that it would be done sooner rather than later,” said Mr O’Shea. 

“It is on their radar as well as our radar politically, so that is a good thing.”

Speaking to The Echo, Sinn Féin senator Nicole Ryan said better infrastructure is needed for gardaí in Cork North West.

“It will be great when they have that new facility,” she said. 

“I think it will just give everyone a bit of a boost. Hopefully, it can be staffed adequately so that we can have more guards in the community.”