Garda allocations to Cork city at ‘net zero’

Garda promotions and retirements in the Cork city division cancelled out the five gardaí allocated to Leeside this month, the Garda Representative Association (GRA) has said.

The June 6 graduation from the Garda College in Templemore saw three garda graduates — known as “probationers” — assigned to Cork city, while two other gardaí were transferred to the division.

However, the association has said the Cork city division also saw three frontline gardaí retire and two receive promotions, cancelling out the five new arrivals.

Pádraig Harrington, the association’s delegate for the city, said an ongoing lack of manpower meant there were serious concerns for the safety of its members.

“The three probationers and the two transfers have been cancelled out by retirements and promotions. So, in effect, we’re back at net zero in the city,” he said.

“The shortage of numbers means we have gardaí out on their own and that is a very serious concern for their safety.”

He added that there were currently between 30 and 40 gardaí in the city who were effectively barred from taking promotions, because to do so would leave the frontline unpoliced.

Of a graduating class of 120 recruits at the Garda College in Templemore this month, the three gardaí assigned to Cork city represented 2.5%, while 74 (62%) went to Dublin.

Asked about the allocation of gardaí to the city, Taoiseach Micheál Martin told The Echo the numbers were “low, very low”.

Mr Martin said he acknowledged that there had been a significant allocation of garda resources, and he had discussed the matter with the justice minister, Jim O’Callaghan.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, Sinn Féin TD for Cork South Central, said garda numbers in Cork were “stretched beyond breaking point” and had been for a considerable time.

“As things stand, we have an effective merger of stations in Bishopstown and Ballincollig, and in Douglas and Carrigaline, that has happened because of retirements and because there are not enough recruits coming out of Templemore going to Cork,” he said.