Local garda stations escape budget axe for now

Rural garda stations in the Athlone and South Roscommon areas have escaped the budget axe this week with none among the 31 nationwide earmarked for closure. There had been fears for the future of smaller one-man local stations like Ballinahown, Ballymore, Ballyforan and Taughmaconnell, with the threat of complete closure or reduced opening hours floated prior to the budget, however, thankfully, for local people no barracks in South Roscommon or Westmeath was listed among the 31 to shut their doors or face cuts in opening hours on Monday last. It's good news for now, but with futher rationalisation of garda services expected in the years ahead the danger to local garda bases is expected to arise again in the near future. Just one station in the Midlands, Geashill in Co Offaly, was mentioned by Minister for Justice, Alan Shatter in the context of cost-saving plans in his department. The North Offaly station which is already closed will not re-open as is the case with Tarmonbarry in Roscommon/Longford garda division. Meanwhile, Loughglynn and Cootehall stations in Roscommon will shut their doors as part of the budget cuts announced by the Department of Justice. Minister Alan Shatter said his department had to contribute to the overall reduction in public expenditure acknowledging that situation represents very significant challenge for all areas of the justice sector in 2012. However, he assured people in areas close to or served by stations that the Garda Síochána is committed to continuing to provide the most professional and effective policing service possible to them. "It is my priority to see that frontline policing services are maintained as far as possible, even at a time of reduced resources. The number of closures being announced today is very small compared to the 703 Garda stations listed throughout the country which includes 47 stations in Dublin. These are very high figures by international standards, and they have hardly changed since the foundation of the State, despite the huge advances in transport, communications and technology in recent years," he stated. Worrying though for the future of local garda barracks in the Athlone area, Minister Shatter said he expects further rationalisation of garda services in the years ahead. "Modern policing is not simply about a bricks and mortar presence in every locality, but the delivery of a professional service to every community using all the modern capacities of An Garda Síochána. I know that the reduced resources available to the Garda Síochána will be challenging. There will have to be changes, and priorities will have to be set, but I believe that the force has the capacity to continue to provide a first-class policing service to the public," he concluded.