Doors closed for the last time in eight stations

On Thursday, eight Clare garda stations signalled for closure in December will shut their doors and cease to come under the remit of An Garda Síochána.
Quin, Inagh, Lahinch, Kilmihil, Labasheeda, Doonbeg, Broadford and Mountshannon stations will close and the Office of Public Works will take on the responsibility for the buildings.
In a last minute bid to get the Government to rethink their position Clare Fianna Fáil TD Timmy Dooley has appealed to Fine Gael and Labour to reverse what he described as their “dangerous decision” to shut down eight garda stations in the county.
Deputy Dooley was speaking ahead of a Dáil debate on a Fianna Fáil motion calling on the Justice Minister not to shut down 100 garda stations nationwide on Thursday. The motion also opposed the reduction in garda numbers and cuts to specialised garda units.
Deputy Dooley claims people are fearful in their homes. “They need a strong and visible garda presence in their communities to deter criminals and support vulnerable householders – not another slash and burn of community resources”. 
“The unjust cut to garda numbers must stop. It creates dangerous gaps in our community policing and puts enormous pressure on local gardaí. If the Government allows garda numbers to dwindle below 13,000, our force will be watered down to its lowest level in over a decade,” he said.  
Members of the public in Quin who have business for the gardaí are invited to attend either Sixmilebridge or Ennis Garda Stations from Thursday onwards.
Those in Lahinch and Inagh can now call to Ennistymon; in Kilmihil to Lissycasey or Kilrush; those in the Labasheeda area to Kildysart or Kilrush; those in Doonbeg to Kilkee or Kilrush and people in Broadford and Mountshannon can call to Killaloe Garda Station.