Pringle hears concerns on the doorsteps over lack of local Garda presence

Independent TD for Donegal Thomas Pringle says he is hearing concerns from people on the doors of his General Election canvass over a lack of a Garda presence in our communities.

Killybegs-based Deputy Pringle cited a conversation with a constituent who had contacted the local Garda station with concerns over anti-social behaviour. He said they were directed to a different garda station, an hour away. 

“I have also heard from people contacting the Killybegs Garda station who were directed to Ballyshannon,” he said. “This is a county-wide issue and it’s not acceptable. The Donegal population has risen by 5% from 2016 to 2022, yet the Garda presence per capita in Donegal has shrunk in recent years, from one Garda per 362 people in 2020 to one Garda per 383 people in 2023, marking a 12% decline.

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“Donegal people are feeling this drop in Garda numbers in their communities. They don’t see that local Garda presence they had seen in the past, when people knew their community gardaí, when there was always someone in the local station and somewhere you could go. This is not the case anymore.

“The Garda Representative Association said they were promised 800 to 1,000 new Garda recruits by the end of this year, but said there will barely be 700. They said this number will barely cover Garda losses through retirements and resignations. This is despite what we hear is an active recruitment campaign.

“I sit on the Committee on Justice, and at a meeting last month I questioned Minister Helen McEntee on the capacity for the Garda College at Templemore. The minister said the entry of 800 to 1,000 new trainees to the college will be facilitated next year, and 1,000 trainees would be close to maximum capacity. She said we need to go beyond 1,000 trainees per year to ensure we can reach and increase our targets.

“What has this Government done to ensure those targets will finally be reached? There must also be consideration of a significant boost to existing facilities if we are to serve the number of trainees we need.

“People need that sense of security and confidence in Garda availability that they had in the past. It’s not good enough for the government to set targets they do not meet. We need a government that will address the Garda recruitment and retention crisis for Donegal and for cities, towns and rural communities across the country.”