by Louise Doyle
THE number of frontline gardaí working in stations across the Donegal division has fallen since the start of this year, according to latest An Garda Síochána staffing figures.
There were 0.7 per cent less gardaí attached to stations in Donegal as of June 2023, when 436 gardaí were working in stations across the county.
This compares with 439 in December 2022.
According to figures for May 2023, Donegal Division had four superintendents, seven inspectors, 54 sergeants and 373 garda attached to stations in the county.
Latest figures on staffing levels across the country’s 564 garda stations shows the biggest drop of gardaí is in Dublin north central division, which has seen its numbers fall by 3.8 per cent since January.
The decline is the largest percentage drop in numbers of frontline gardaí in any garda division throughout the country over the last six months.
All but one of the country’s 27 garda divisions has seen a drop in frontline gardaí since January of this year, according to the figures.
Meanwhile, the falling number of gardaí has long been a concern and has been raised in the Dáil on many recent occasions. A report by the Oireachtas’
Parliamentary Budget Office published in June estimated the government would need to spend an extra €138 million annually on payroll costs if it is to meet its target in staffing levels.
The force had been a “growing organisation” until the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The global emergency affected training and recruitment plans due to the closure of the Garda College in Templemore.
A total of 222 new recruits are due to be attested as sworn members next week.
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