Minister McEntee welcomes commitment to new Garda station in Laytown

Minister for Justice and Meath East TD Helen McEntee has today welcomed the commitment from An Garda Siochana that a new station is required for Laytown and the surrounding areas.

The Minister was speaking as Garda Commissioner Drew Harris visited Laytown on Monday, November 14.

Commissioner Harris also visited Laytown Garda station last July where he met local Garda management and members of the station party.

Minister McEntee said:

“The commitment from Commissioner Harris that a new station is to be provided for Laytown is hugely welcome, and I know it will be welcomed by many people in the Laytown and Bettystown areas.

“I also welcomed the opportunity to speak with the Commissioner and members of the local Garda team on issues of facilities, resourcing, criminality, including public order, and the boundary between the Meath and Louth divisions.

“The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and that commitment is evident in these developments for Laytown and East Meath.”

The confirmation that a new station is needed also follows a number of other changes underway to improve the policing service being provided to the East Meath area, two of which commenced on 8th November 2022, with the transfer of Garda members.

Laytown Garda station became a core-unit response station, operating on a 24/7 basis with four core units.

This change allows for handover briefings and the exchange of information between units and provides for enhanced supervision and governance. This service will meet the needs of the East Meath area (Laytown and Duleek sub districts).

Duleek Garda station became a community policing hub with the transfer of new members to form a dedicated community policing unit.

This new dedicated community policing team will provide high visibility beats and community policing duties on a non-core roster beats across the Ashbourne district, including to the Laytown and Duleek sub districts.

Overall, both changes have resulted in a net increase in the number of Garda members working from Laytown and Duleek Garda stations.

Additionally, work has commenced to upgrade Laytown Garda station to ‘training station’ status thus allowing the allocation of Trainee Gardaí in 2023.