by Andrew Carey
DESPITE their success in tackling the city’s gangland leadership, Limerick Gardaí could soon be facing a new generation of ruthless young thugs if proposed cuts to the district Garda budgets are enforced.
Senior sociology lecturer at UCC, Dr. Niamh Hourigan has warned against “complacency” in the wake of the recent Garda’s success in tackling serious crime and the conviction of John Dundon for the murder of Shane Geoghegan.
She described the rugby player’s murder as a watershed moment for the people of Limerick and with the imposition of a life sentence on Dundon along with the jailing of other gangland figures, it meant that serious crime in Limerick had taken a major hit.
However, it has emerged this week that a new round of budgetary cutbacks could seriously affect Garda efforts to continue the fight against serious crime.
Chairman of the Joint Policing Committee in Limerick, Councillor Michael Hourigan has said that any further cuts to the force in Limerick would be of “grave concern”.
With details emerging that frontline garda units have been warned that financial resources are to be further depleted Cllr Hourigan said that he did not want to see the fight against serious crime affected as a “whole new crop of criminals is coming up.
“At every meeting of the JPC in the last few years, Chief Superintendent Dave Sheahan has brought reports where figures have been down under the majority of headings. He has assured us that even with new measures being introduced in the Limerick Garda Division, these drops can be maintained”.
The Fine Gael councillor said that while Chief Supt Sheahan advised that “policing can cope, he did not want to see a return to those times of serious crimes”.
“The gardai have made massive gains and reaped results in this type of policing and we will be seeking further assurances at the next JPC meeting that we will not lose those gains,” added the councillor.
Recent figures indicate that since the removal of serious criminals like the Dundons from the city streets, Garda resources have been considerably freed up.
Burglaries are down 19 per cent; car thefts are down 32 per cent and there has been significant reductions in muggings and crimes against property.
There have also been no murders in Limerick in over a year and a half.
With the Department of Justice signalling the latest round of cuts are to be imposed in the wake of budget allocations, reductions are expected to overtime pay and off duty hours.
While resources are focused on tackling drug activities and organised criminal activity, follow-up operations are expected to be curtailed.
However, senior gardaí have said that there will be no further reductions to Garda numbers in the city and their resources will be focused on maintaining the dexrease in serious crime figures.
Chief Superintendent Dave Sheahan has said that both he and other members of the force in the Limerick Division are committed to tackling serious crime and to continue to provide the city and county with the policing it needs.
On recent crime figures, he said; “serious crime and gangs have taken a hit in recent months and the continued Garda work on the ground is reaping the benefits of a better society.”
Earlier this summer, Justice Minister Alan Shatter announced that the embargo on Garda recruitment will be lifted and details of that process will be outlined in the coming weeks.
