*Gardaí on duty in Shannon during a protest outside Shannon Airport. Photograph: Joe Buckley
FIFTEEN new Gardaí are to be deployed in Shannon from September.
Garda numbers in Clare’s second biggest town will rise this autumn following confirmation that fifteen Gardaí will be deployed directly from the Garda College Templemore upon passing out and they will join the ranks in Shannon as of September 1st.
A boosting of Garda resources in Shannon follows a series of protests close to Shannon Airport so far this year.
There will be no redistribution of existing Garda personnel in the Clare/Tipperary Garda Division as a result of the additions and the new officers will be there in a permanent capacity.
Clare TD and Junior Minister, Timmy Dooley (FF) told The Clare Echo that the new recruits will boost Garda resources in Shannon and aid the county by stopping the current practice of Gardaí from other areas covering the Airport Town. “This is a very welcome development for the community in Shannon and indeed for the wider communities across Clare, many of whom have had to pool Garda resources in recent times. The direct deployment of 15 new Gardaí will strengthen local policing capacity and improve visible Garda presence in the area”.
Shannon Airport will also benefit, the Junior Minister maintained. “It’s also good news in terms of security at Shannon Airport, where there has been a number security-related issues at the airport. This additional allocation will ensure those challenges can now be managed more effectively”.
Mountshannon native Timmy said he has been campaigning for additional Gardaí in the county since his appointment as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine and Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment in February. “I have consistently prioritised the need for greater Garda resources across Clare, and I’m delighted to see that commitment now being realised. This announcement is a clear and tangible step forward for community safety in our region”.
