Gardai's manpower CRISIS
COUNTY Wexford is facing a garda manpower crisis at the end of February when 13 officers leave the force on early retirement.
Baldwinstown garda station is closing; Castlebridge, Campile and New Ross stations are losing a garda; Enniscorthy will be left without a Superintendent and five officers are retiring from the Gorey area.
'It will be challenging but it's just a fact of life. We'll just have to police differently. They won't be replaced in the short or medium term,' said Chief Superintendent John Roche.
Of the 13 officers who have opted for early retirement under a Government plan to reduce numbers employed in the public service, five are in Gorey, including three in the traffic division; four are in Enniscorthy; one in New Ross, and three in Wexford.
Of the 13 officers leaving the force, six are sergeants.
On top of this, it is expected that four or five additional garda posts will be lost through 'natural wastage' during the year.
A re-organisation plan has been implemented to compensate for the loss of manpower.
'It will mean sweeping changes across the Wexford district. They come into force today,' the Chief Superintendent told a Joint Policing Committee meeting on Monday. Baldwinstown garda station will close on March 31 and the garda who is based there will transfer to Kilmore Quay.
An additional garda is being redeployed from Wexford to Kilmore Quay and Baldwinstown will be covered from there.
The garda sergeant based in Kilmore Quay is transferring to Taghmon station where he will be responsible for Taghmon and Kilmore. A new working roster is also being introduced throughout the division.
Cllr. Pat Cody said the retirement figures in Wexford are lower than originally expected but ' it is still going to be a significant hit. I'm very fearful about the cutbacks that are being visited on the force,' he said.
- MARIA PEPPER
