Still no action to address dwindling garda numbers in Donegal – Cope

The Justice Minister and Acting Garda Commissioner are again being urged to intervene to increase Garda Numbers in the Donegal Division, with 384 in the county at present..
Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher says the present government has allowed Garda numbers in county to fall to what he calls “new low and alarming levels”.
Last week saw the latest graduation ceremony at the Garda College in Templemore, but of 1,400 new Garda Recruits taken on since September 2014, only 24 have been posted to Donegal, according to the Leas Cheann Comhairle.
That’s just 1.7%.
Deputy Gallagher says since 2009, there’s been a 21% drop in the number of gardai based in Donegal, but what’s most concerning of all is that there are only two community gardai employed across the county.
There are 18 members of the garda reserve in the county, and 33 civilian staff.