Controversial plan to amalgamate Cork garda areas to be reversed 

The amalgamation of local garda areas in Cork city, introduced controversially last year, is to be unwound by the end of this month, The Echo has learned.

Where previously Garda units had worked separately across four areas of the greater Cork metropolitan area, under the amalgamation, units were merged into two large sections, each working across one of the two areas.

Now, that policy, which was unpopular with the public and with gardaí, is being reversed and from October units will again be assigned to individual areas.

However, the Garda Representative Association (GRA) has warned that resourcing remains a critical issue, saying the city needs an additional 75 gardaí.

Under the amalgamation, gardaí worked across neighbouring areas which had, until then, their own dedicated officers.

The policy merged the Douglas and Carrigaline areas, and separately Bishopstown and Ballincollig.

Those areas are run from the Cork city south community engagement headquarters in Togher.

Introduced by predecessor

In June, in his first interview since taking over as head of policing in the Cork city garda division, Chief Superintendent Colm Noonan told The Echo that he intended to undo the amalgamation, which had been introduced by his predecessor Tom Myers.

Chief Supt Noonan said he had discussed the matter with Superintendent Gary McPolin, who has responsibility for community engagement in the Cork city south garda area.

“I’ve asked him to put a focus back on getting visible gardaí back into places like Carrigaline, Douglas, Crosshaven, because people deserve to be able to call to garda stations when they’re open, be able to see gardaí, to be able to have gardaí in their communities that know their communities,” he said.

Pádraig Harrington, Cork city delegate with the Garda Representative Association (GRA), which represents rank-and-file gardaí, said that while de-amalgamation was welcome, resourcing remained a serious issue.

“The decision to reverse the amalgamation of units will not solve the problems that have been created by the lack of resources in the south side of Cork city.

“The only way to have stations open, guards on the beat and guards patrolling is to adequately resource an area,” Mr Harrington said.

“While the move is well-intentioned by Supt McPolin, his hands are tied by the lack of resources available to him.

“The old saying ‘you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear’ comes to mind.

“Cork city is still short about 75 gardaí across all areas to properly police the city.”

Never made sense

Séamus McGrath, Fianna Fáil TD for Cork South Central, said he had never believed amalgamation made sense, and he had campaigned against it.

“I’m pleased to say that garda management has now confirmed that the amalgamation will now be reversed,” Mr McGrath said.

“This is a positive step forward, but at the same time it’s only one step forward out of many that we need to improve garda presence and visibility, and resourcing has to be the number one priority.”

Sinn Féin TD Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said that in his view the amalgamation had not been good for building relationships with communities.

“However, while I welcome this decision, ultimately Cork still has nowhere near enough gardaí,” he said.

“The units will be stretched to cover what they need to cover. Some stations still way below the numbers they need.”

The Garda Press Office was asked for comment.