BUDGET2023:Rural communities will "greatly benefit" from increased garda numbers

National security funding in this year’s budget that includes 1,000 new gardaí will give a much needed boost to rural policing that's according to Midlands-North-West MEP Maria Walsh who has welcomed today’s announcement.

In addition, more than 400 new Garda staff will be employed to help free up frontline gardaí for core policing duties. There will also be an increase in Garda overtime to help the force tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.

The increased numbers will bring An Garda Síochána another step closer to the government target and will give peace of mind to rural communities across the country.

The funding was announced as part of Budget 2023, and follows the recent criticism levelled at Garda Commissioner Drew Harris around the re-organisation of the An Garda Síochána.

Speaking about today’s Budget measures, MEP Walsh said the planned increase in garda numbers will provide a much-needed boost for rural policing and will greatly benefit communities across the Midlands-North-West constituency. “All across the country, the gardaí are doing their level best, with limited resources, but a reduction in manpower in rural stations has left communities feeling isolated and living in fear. We need to support our rural communities, particularly where there are elderly and vulnerable people living alone. Today’s announcement is most definitely a step in the right direction,” she said.

Acknowledging the recent promise by Commissioner Harris that he has no intention of closing any additional stations, the MEP Walsh said too many doors have already been closed. “Far too many garda stations have been shut down in recent years and there have been complaints across the constituency about staffing levels, response times, and the provision of garda services in small communities and rural areas. The new policing model is based on a restructuring at both a national and regional level, with the intention of freeing up gardaí for more frontline duties. Today’s funding announcement will further enhance this, with 1,000 new gardaí being added,” she continued.

Committed to increasing the overall justice spending, Minister McEntee has also spoken to Commissioner Harris in recent weeks about the potential to station gardaí on a part-time basis in post offices, community centres and other public buildings in areas where garda stations have previously closed. She has also indicated that she is keen to reinvest in stations that need reinvestment, as well as opening new stations right across the country.

“I fully support Minister McEntee in terms of the importance of rural policing and having a presence on the ground. Within my own constituency, we have seen a lot of closures. In fact, we recently heard that 35 former garda stations that were closed under austerity measures are still lying vacant a decade later. Of the 35, many are in the Midlands-North-West constituency – in Donegal, Galway, Kildare, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan, Roscommon, Sligo. Any move towards increasing garda numbers, reinforcing garda presence, and giving communities increased confidence in their homes, businesses and communities, is a step in the right direction,” added MEP Walsh.