The nine Garda divisions that have lost their divisional headquarters have been revealed, following an announcement by Garda HQ.
They are Cork North, Tipperary, Kilkenny/Carlow, Wicklow, Kildare, Meath, Cavan/Monaghan, Sligo/Leitrim and Roscommon/Longford.
The feared loss of divisional headquarters has already emerged as a major issue across the 18 garda divisions that are being merged into nine “super divisions”.
The announcement by Garda HQ is set to escalate those concerns, which have been expressed by chairmen of local policing committees and at the Oireachtas Justice Committee last week by numerous TDs and Senators.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said he plans to visit local joint policing committees this Autumn to explain his new Operating Model.
This model, announced last August, has been described by the Policing Authority as the biggest restructuring of the organisation since its foundation.
It is reducing the number of garda regions from six to four and the number of garda divisions from 28 to 19.
The latter involves the amalgamation of 18 divisions into nine. They are: Cork North and Cork West; Clare and Tipperary; Mayo and Roscommon/Longford; Donegal and Sligo/Leitrim; Cavan/Monaghan and Louth; Meath and Westmeath; Laois/Offaly and Kildare; Wicklow and Wexford; Kilkenny/Carlow and Waterford.
The announcement means that the following towns will lose their divisional headquarters: Fermoy (Cork North), Thurles (Tipperary), Kilkenny, Naas (Kildare), Navan (Meath), Monaghan, Sligo, Bray (Wicklow) and Roscommon.
While the new headquarters of the merged Cork County Division (amalgamating Cork West and Cork North) will be in Macroom (in the current Cork West Division) once the new station there is built, the headquarters will be temporarily located in Bandon (also in the current Cork West Division).
The new headquarters of the other merged divisions are Ennis (Clare-Tipperary), Waterford city (Waterford-Kilkenny/Carlow), Wexford (Wexford-Wicklow), Portlaoise (Laois/Offaly-Kildare), Mullingar (Westmeath-Meath), Drogheda (Louth-Cavan/Monaghan), Letterkenny (Donegal-Sligo/Leitrim) and Castlebar (Mayo-Roscommon/Longford).
Each division will be headed by a chief superintendent, as currently. Commissioner Harris has said that superintendents, who will now have divisional responsibilities and will no longer be head of local districts, will not all be based in the new headquarters and will be dispersed.
The new divisional structure is mirrored by a new regional one, with three regions outside of Dublin, each headed by an assistant commissioner.
The new North Western Region will have its headquarters in Murrough, Galway, and the new position of regional chief superintendent (an effective deputy of the assistant commissioner) will be based in Monaghan.
The Eastern Region headquarters will be in Kilkenny, where the regional chief supt will also be based.
The Southern Region headquarters will be in Anglesea, Cork city, where the regional chief supt will also be located.
The new Operating Model has been criticised to varying degrees by the four garda representative associations, with the senior ranks at superintendent and chief superintendent levels most concerned.
But the changes have been backed by the Garda Inspectorate and the Policing Authority.
The statement from Garda HQ said the new Operating Model had already commenced the amalgamation of regions and will be introduced into Divisions on a phased basis.
But it said: “Divisions in the border Region are unlikely to see any significant change until further clarity is available on Brexit.”
Commissioner Harris said: “Our new Operating Model will see larger Divisions with more resources. It will deliver increased Garda visibility in communities, as well more localised services. Resources will be strongly focused on community policing.
Chief Superintendents and Superintendents will be empowered to make decisions on how policing is best delivered within their Divisions while working to a corporate framework.
"Superintendents will be located throughout the Divisions and will be supported by additional Sergeants and Inspectors.
“In addition, our new Operating Model will enhance the investigation of crime through the delivery of a greater range of specialised services in local areas such as the investigation of sexual crime, domestic violence, cyber crime, and economic crime.
"Each Division will be provided with a Detective Superintendent who along with trained investigators in specialist areas will be responsible for local crime investigation. Complex or highly technical crimes will generally be dealt with at national level.”
The new Regional and Divisional Headquarters are:
North Western Region
Regional Headquarters - Murrough, Co. Galway
Regional Chief Superintendent - Monaghan, Co. Monaghan
Divisions and Headquarters in North Western Region
Galway - Murrough, Co, Galway
Mayo/Roscommon/Longford - Castlebar, Co. Mayo
Donegal/Sligo/Leitrim - Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
Cavan/Monaghan/Louth - Drogheda, Co. Louth
Eastern Region
Regional Headquarters - Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny
Regional Chief Superintendent - Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny
Divisions and Headquarters in the Eastern Region
Meath/Westmeath - Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
Laois/Offaly/Kildare - Portlaoise, Co. Laois
Wexford/Wicklow - Wexford, Co. Wexford
Waterford/Kilkenny/Carlow - Waterford, Co. Waterford
Southern Region
Regional Headquarters - Anglesea Street, Cork City
Regional Chief Superintendent - Anglesea Street, Cork City
Divisions and Headquarters in the Southern Region
Cork City - Anglesea Street, Cork City
Cork County - Macroom (Bandon until new headquarters is built in Macroom)
Kerry - Tralee, Co. Kerry
Limerick - Henry Street, Limerick
Clare/Tipperary - Ennis, Co. Clare
Dublin Metropolitan Region
Regional Headquarters - Harcourt Square, Dublin
Regional Chief Superintendent - Harcourt Square, Dublin
Divisions and Headquarters in the DMR
DMR Nort - Ballymun, Dublin
DMR South - Crumlin, Dublin
DMR North Central - Store Street, Dublin
DMR South Central - Kevin Street, Dublin
DMR East - Dún Laoghaire, Dublin
DMR West - Blanchardstown, Dublin
Article by Cormac O'Keefe - Security Correspondant for Breakingnews.ie
