GARDA Commissioner Drew Harris is due to visit Limerick again next month to discuss the force’s new policing model and the possibility of moving Garda resources from court protection to frontline duties.
It will be the Commissioner’s second visit to Limerick in as many months. Last month, he opened the State’s first children’s Garda station at Dreamland in Castletroy. The all-inclusive play centre for able-bodied and non-able-bodied children is operated by the locally based Share A Dream Foundation. Limerick Fine Gael Senator Kieran O’Donnell said Mr Harris had accepted his invitation to attend a meeting of the Limerick Joint Policing Committee on Thursday, December 12.
“I think it is very important that Garda Commissioner Harris is visiting to see first-hand and to discuss a range of policing matters in Limerick city and county,” Senator O’Donnell said.
“We have seen various anti-social and more serious crimes here, which clearly indicate the need for extra Gardaí on the ground. Therefore, it is imperative that we get our fair share of the 700 additional trainee Gardaí, announced by Government in the Budget.”
“The issue of redeployment of up to 16 Gardai from Courthouse duties at Mulgrave Street to frontline duties in the City and environs as well as the genuine need for new Garda Stations in high growth populations areas like Castletroy/Annacotty and Dooradoyle/Raheen and Mungret must be on the agenda for next month’s meeting,” he added.
The Commissioner is also expected to liaise with senior Gardaí about the ongoing fight against drugs.
At last month’s JPC meeting, Chief Superintendent Gerry Roche told Limerick councillors the illegal drugs business “is a serious problem…in my view the biggest issue that we face”.
He said he had increased resources in the Divisional Drugs Unit, and detections for possession of drugs for sale or supply had increased by 14 per cent over the past year, while detections of drugs for personal use had risen by 46 per cent.
Earlier this week, Limerick Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan welcomed two significant seizures of drugs in the city.
Heroin, with an estimated street value of €38,500 was seized in the Upper Carey’s Road area and a quantity of crack cocaine and heroin was seized in St Mary’s Park. Deputy Quinlivan, who is a director of the Mid West Regional Drug and Alcohol Forum, said it was particularly worrying that crack cocaine was seized in one of the raids.
“This drug is devastating, it has destroyed communities across the world. Crack cocaine is extremely addictive and is regarded as the most addictive form of cocaine.
“Almost daily, I am contacted by constituents who have concerns regarding drug use, addiction services, mental health supports, or the crime and intimidation associated with the drug trade. Often they feel nothing is been done to address their real concerns so these two seizures will offer them some comfort.
“The removal of these drugs from the streets represents a highly successful operation by An Garda Síochána and I want to commend local people who, despite their fears, contacted them in recent weeks. I raised this matter in the Dáil on several occasions in the last few weeks as we have a crisis with drugs and associated crime across Limerick. I appealed for additional resources as the funding to the Regional Drug and Alcohol Forums who suffered savage cuts during the recession, needs to be immediately restored,” he concluded.