Donegal JPC seek return of stand-alone Garda Division as operational review confirmed

A review is underway into the impact of elements of a restructure of the Donegal Garda Division.

Donegal was merged with the Sligo and Leitrim under a revamp announced in 2019. In total, 18 Garda Divisions were merged into nine 'super divisions.

The move has been the subject of sharp criticism and Chief Superintendent Aidan Glacken told a meeting of the Donegal Joint Policing Committee (JPC) on Friday about the review.

“A review is underway in relation to some elements of the operating model and how it has impacted,” he told the meeting at the County House in Lifford.”I have participated in that review and given my views.”

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The Donegal JPC is to write to the Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris, to ask that Donegal be reinstated as a stand-alone Division.

The meeting heard that are currently 448 Garda personnel employed in the Donegal Division, assisted by 64 Garda civilian staff. That 512 total is up from the 436 tally in 2017, which included 404 Gardai. The civilian staff has doubled in the last five years.

There are 34 detectives in the Donegal Division, while the roads policing units include four sergeants and 24 Gardai.

The Garda fleet in Donegal has been much-maligned in recent years. Friday's meeting heard that the current fleet has 78 vehicles, including 33 marked, 21 unmarked and four motorbikes.

JPC member and former Garda sergeant James Trearty said people in many rural areas of Donegal do not see Gardai on the street. He said: “I don't know what the GRA (Garda Representative Association) would have to say about the increase in numbers, but they are definitely not seen on the ground.”

Chief Superintendent Glacken, who took over the role in December following the retirement of Terry McGinn, said the challenge for him was to maintain the figures during what he described as a phase of 'recruitment and retention'.

He said: “It is not possible to have Gardai on every street corner. There is a lot of talk about presence and about response, but we have to balance that. The pie has to be cut in a certain way.”

Councillor Michael Naughton was critical of responses given by Commissioner Harris at a meeting with the JPC in January.

“He was very disingenuous,” Cuncillor Naughton said. “We asked a number of questions and he painted a picture that everything was rosy in the garden. There are huge issues there. Gardai feel that they aren't being listened to and staff morale is at an all time low.

“The answers we got suggested that everything was rosy and fine and it is disappointing that we were given false information.”

Councillor Gerry McMonagle, the Chairperson of the Donegal JPC, said the new model is not working in Donegal.

“It doesn't fit Donegal and Donegal should be a stand-alone Division,” Councillor McMonagle said.

“A number of factors haven't been taken into account. I have raised this at meetings and also privately, but the geographic nature of Donegal has to be considered: We have 93km of a border with the six counties.”

Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Glacken confirmed that will be no armed support unit (ASU) formed in Letterkenny. The current ASU, based in Ballyshannon, has been increased in capacity and operates 24-7.