THE chairman of Donegal Joint Policing Commission has called on the Garda Commissioner to “consider his position” after Donegal will see only one new garda in the latest rollout of members.
Cllr Gerry McMonagle has branded the allocation of just one of the 87 new gardaí who graudated on Friday to Donegal as “a kick in the teeth”. He has called on garda Commissioner Drew Harris to consider his position.
In all, 87 gardaí were attested as sworn members of An Garda Síochána on Friday.
Eight of the new Gardai will be based in the North Western Region, with six of those allocated to County Louth, which comes under the North Western figures.
But just one of the new recruits has been allocated to Donegal. It is understood that post will be to Buncrana Garda Station.
Cllr McMonagle said he was “very disappointed” by the announcement, particularly as it comes when local gardaí have been fighting for more resources for quite a long time.
He said the decision shows that Garda Commission Harris has no understanding of rural Ireland.
Deputy Garda Commissioner Anne Marie McMahon said An Garda Síochána is responding to a shift.
“Policing and the needs of our communities have changed significantly over our long history and continue to change.”
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