Garda numbers down: 'Frontline Cork gardaí need resources and boots on the ground'

A city councillor has said that the new Garda Commissioner, taking office in September, “must prioritise Cork”, as An Garda Síochána figures show a drop of 100 gardaí across the county since 2020.

Data provided by justice minister Jim O’Callaghan in response to a Labour Party parliamentary question showed that between December 31, 2020, and January 31, 2025, the number of gardaí declined by 57 in the Cork City Division and by 43 in the Cork North and Cork West divisions.

The data also showed that more than 40 stations across Cork are currently operating with five or fewer members.

At the end of 2020, there were 723 members in the Cork City Division, 351 members in the Cork North Division, and 308 in the Cork West Division.

At the end of January 2025, there were 666 members in the Cork City Division, encompassing Anglesea Street, Gurranabraher, Mayfield, and Togher; 333 members in the Cork North Division, encompassing Fermoy, Mallow, and Midleton; and 283 members in the Cork West Division, encompassing Bandon, Bantry, Clonakilty, and Macroom.

Between 2020 and mid-2025, there were 88 retirements across the Cork City Division, and 69 retirements across the Cork North and Cork West divisions, eight of them this year.

Labour Party councillor for the Cork City South East ward, Peter Horgan, said that gardaí in Cork “need resources and boots on the ground". 

"This is a stark figure to see, from the data, that stations across Cork city and county — not cherry-picked to say a division gained while a station lost, but the figures for all the stations — show a loss of 100 gardaí in Cork," said Mr Horgan.

“This data was correct to January of this year and, given the tiny allocations from Templemore by the current commissioner, combined with resignations and retirements, confirmed to be eight.

“The new commissioner must prioritise Cork with the same zeal that Dublin has seen additional gardaí. It’s just not right that the second city of the State is being let down by Garda HQ, and frontline Cork gardaí need resources and boots on the ground.”

The figures, provided to Labour Party TD Alan Kelly, showed the stations in the Cork City Division that have fewer than five members: Carrig Na bhFear has one; Crosshaven and Passage West each have two; and Mallow Rd has zero.

Seventeen stations within the Cork North Division have five or fewer members: Carrigtwohill has five; Watergrasshill has three; Castletownroche, Rathcormac, Buttevant, and Doneraile have two each; Ballynoe, Kildorrey, Glantaine, Liscarroll, Milford, Newmarket, Ballycotton, Cloyne, Killeagh, and Whitegate have one each; and Kilworth has zero.

In the Cork West Division, 21 stations are operating with five or fewer members: Schull has three; Ballineen, Ballinhassig, Baile Bhuirne, and Béal Átha An Ghaortha all have two; Ballinspittle, Innishannon, Kilbrittain, Timoleague, Kealkil, Rosscarbery, Boherbue, Rathmore, and Stuake all have one; and Drimoleague, Durrus, Glengarriff, Baltimore, Drinagh, Coachford, and Tarelton have zero.