Roscrea residents deeply concerned about downgraded Garda Station
Roscrea has been on a “downward slope for many years and has now truly reached the point of crisis”
MANY people in Roscrea are very worried about the Garda Station in their town which they say has been so severely downgraded that it's compromised safety standards locally.
Residents say the Station is frequently not open and often the telephone goes unanswered when they call. Some say the Station is “never open” and the telephone is “never answered.”
The Tribune rang the station several times in recent days and each time no one answered in Roscrea but the call was forwarded straight through to Nenagh.
The issue has been highlighted a number of times over the last few years. Last October the matter was raised in the Dáil when Deputy Ryan O'Meara said many are worried about the lack of manpower and resources at the Station. The TD told Taoiseach Micheál Martin during Leader's Questions that "Roscrea Garda Station effectively does not open anymore".
Last November Sinn Féin's North Tipperary Cathaoirleach Dan Harty pointed out that policing in Roscrea has been on a “downward slope for many years and has now truly reached the point of crisis. In what is the largest Garda District in the country in terms of area, Garda resources are stretched to an unacceptable level. Last year extra Garda resources were provided for Nenagh and Thurles, with Roscrea overlooked. For a town with a population the size of Roscrea to be relying on a part-time police service is unacceptable.”
Some trace the start of the decline to the introduction of the new Garda Operating Model a few years ago, which restructured the way Garda operations are conducted. The new model was based on the UK method of policing. Under it, policing operations, serious crime investigations, and management were consolidated centrally. When the model was imposed on Roscrea it meant the town lost its dedicated local Superintendent. The station has since operated under the “East Clare - Tipperary North Community Engagement” headquartered in Nenagh. The Roscrea station’s frontline resources have dropped significantly. Officially, it operates with a reduced force of 11 members, which includes 3 sergeants, 7 front-line Gardaí, and 1 member on loan from Nenagh; but the Tribune wasn't able to find anyone in the Gardaí who could confirm these numbers.
The Roscrea station is no longer open on weekends and operates with reduced opening hours. Officially the opening hours are from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, Monday through Friday, but some say the station is often closed during those hours.