Less than 1% of new Gardai this year posted to Donegal

Less than one per cent of newly-qualified gardai in 2024 have been assigned to the Donegal Division.

Just three new gardai have been assigned to Donegal this year, Donegal Live has learned.

This is despite 323 new members being attested at the Garda Training College in Templemore. It means just 0.92% of the newly qualified members have been posted to Donegal.

In March, 165 new members were sworn into An Garda Síochána with a further 158 following in July.

According to figures disclosed to Donegal Live on foot of a Freedom of Information request, only three of those members were posted to Donegal.

This is despite the force in Donegal under continual strain when it comes to its strength.

“This is simply unacceptable particularly given the unique challenges Gardaí face in Donegal,” Sinn Féin Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said.

“Last month, we raised concerns over the changing of Garda boundaries in Donegal to just two. There are reasons why we have such grave concerns over the minimising of Garda presence in the county.

“We are a large rural landmass and have a number of ports and islands that present significant difficulties in policing. We also have Gaeltacht areas that require distinct considerations.”

Only six new gardai were assigned to Donegal in the whole of 2023 while 30 serving members have retired in the Donegal Garda Division since 2022, including three so far this year.

As of July 8, 2024 there were 35 Garda personnel in the Donegal Division out on sick leave. That included four members who were off as a result of an occupational injury/injury on duty with 31 absent due to what is termed an ordinary illness.

As of this week, according to the figures provided, there are 419 Garda members in the Donegal Division with a further 73 civilian staff employed.

Figures released to Donegal Live show that there are 345 of those members of Garda rank while there is one Chief Superintendent, three Superintendents, nine Inspectors and 61 sergeants.

There has been no replacement Superintendent appointed to the Letterkenny Garda District since the elevation of Chief Superintendent Goretti Sheridan and there are fears that Donegal will be cut to just two Garda Districts. 

Deputy Pearse Doherty said: Deputy Doherty added: “Rank-and-file Gardaí in Donegal are stretched to the limit and something must be done.

“The Commissioner must listen to the people of Donegal and stop the trend of Donegal being last on his list of priorities.

“Deputy Mac Lochlainn and I have written to the Garda Commissioner and Minister for Justice to raise with them the issues of falling Garda numbers and the failure to fill the position of Letterkenny Superintendent.

“We have stressed the urgency of getting someone in place given the pressures that are currently placed upon Gardaí in Donegal.”

A drugs unit has been re-established in Donegal under the new Chief Superintendent and in the first four months of 2024 helped in the seizure of over €1million worth of drugs.

That included a haul amounting to €125,000 of cannabis in the Milford District and also more than €600,000 of cannabis in a growhouse in Donegal Town.