On Thursday’s Morning Focus, we looked at what changes to Garda regional structure will mean for rural policing.
It’s been widely reported this week that Clare Garda Division could be amalgamated with Tipperary, under a new proposed policing model. The restructuring of the force is part of a new model aimed at revamping policing at a local and regional level and includes recommendations of the Garda Inspectorate and the Policing Commission.
Under the plan, the number of Garda Divisions would be cut from 28 to 19, while the number of garda regions will be reduced from 6 to 4.
Clare and Tipperary would merge, and join Limerick, Kerry, and Cork West and North and Cork City in the new Southern Region, rather than being amalgamated with Galway, as previously thought. It’s not clear yet whether the divisional headquarters will be in Ennis or in Thurles.
Irish Examiner Security Correspondent Cormac O’Keefe spoke yesterday to Clare FM’s Fiona Cahill about this and other aspects of the plan.
Dr Johnny Connolly- who joined us on the program to talk about this- is an Irish Research Council Enterprise Scholar at the Centre for Crime, Justice and Victim Studies at the School of Law in the University of Limerick. He is also a Member of the Commission for the Future of Policing in Ireland.
To discuss what the likely changes could mean for rural policing CEO of Muintir na Tíre, and Inagh native Niall Garvey also joined us on the show.
