Community garda for Carrigaholt

AN intervention from the Deputy Garda Commissioner has ensured that Carrigaholt will have a community garda allocated to the village, despite the closure of the village’s garda station on November 27, which coincided with the retirement of Garda Charlie Killeen.

Last year’s budget delivered news that 31 stations were to be closed throughout the country, with Carrigaholt the only Clare station forced to shut down.
“The Deputy Commissioner has directed that I liase with the public in Carrigaholt, which I have done,” Kilrush Area Garda Superintendent Gerry Wall told The Clare Champion.
“I have also held a meeting with the Joint Policing Committee (JPC) in Kilkee. From that, I took some of their views and concerns. The Deputy Garda Commissioner has directed that a project committee manage the closure and everything attached to the closure in Carrigaholt,” he added.
Superintendent Wall said he is well aware that people in Carrigaholt are concerned at the closure of the station.
“The people there are very anxious for a continued garda presence, particularly to support them in their community alert projects, events and management of festivals, the enforcement of road traffic legislation and that a visible garda presence be seen in the area. They have concerns for the elderly and they asked us what measures we would be putting in place for them.
“I’ve undertaken to meet the elderly people separately in the coming weeks. What we’re saying is there will be a commitment to community alert. I gave them an absolute assurance that there will be a community alert and a community alert garda attached,” he stressed.
The district superintendent explained an allocated garda will spend time in Carrigaholt, even though the station will remain closed.
“The garda will spend time in Carrigaholt itself. He or she will dedicate time to community alert meetings and activities. They will be a liaison garda with the community in general. That’s a strong commitment and it will happen,” he stressed, noting he expects this to happen in the coming weeks.
“I’m talking within six to seven weeks. The Deputy Commissioner is adamant that this job has to be done. We’ve achieved a lot of what we want done and I’ve sent one report already. While we can’t keep a static presence, everything else will flow as normal. I’m absolutely certain that we will have a patrol car full-time in Kilkee as well,” Superintendent Wall concluded.