The Minister for Justice must provide clarity and reassurance to communities that they will not lose vital garda resources when Ireland takes on the EU Presidency, according to Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne.
Deputy Hearne, who represents Dublin North-West, said:
“The reports that Ballymun garda station is due to lose at least 10 gardaí to redeployment for the duration of the EU presidency are extremely concerning. There are suggestions that a number of gardaí will also be redeployed from Finglas.
“Ballymun and Finglas are communities in dire need of more high visibility policing, additional community gardaí, and youth diversion programmes. We should not be cutting their resources under any circumstances.
“Taking garda resources away from these communities flies in the face of the recommendations of the Ballymun – A Brighter Future report, the work of the Ballymun Implementation Board, and the consistent calls from the community for additional supports.
“The Government recently announced, to great fanfare, that additional Gardaí were being assigned to Ballymun and Finglas stations from May’s graduating class in Templemore, but now it appears they will rip those resources away from these communities for the duration of the EU Presidency.
“Disadvantaged communities cannot pay the price of Ireland hosting EU events and delegates. We need a guarantee of maintaining and increasing community policing in Finglas and Ballymun, and a scrapping of these reductions.
“I am calling on the Minister to confirm that no Gardaí from Ballymun and Finglas will be taken away from serving the communities who need them. There have been multiple serious incidents in Ballymun this year, and I have written to the Garda Commissioner requesting a meeting on this issue.
“In February last year, Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said that he is conscious that Ballymun ‘is an area which requires investment,’ but said that he did not think ‘there will be any shortage of commitment from the Government on that.’ We’re now seeing the opposite.
“Communities across Ireland have a right to feel safe and secure. We need additional visible policing, especially community gardaí, alongside long-term community resourcing and youth diversion measures.
“Minister O’Callaghan must stick to this commitment and continue to invest in the Ballymun and Finglas communities, not take away their resources.”
June 18th, 2026