The local community garda for Mervue is being taken from the area forcing the Renmore Community Garda to cover both Renmore and Mervue.
The decision has angered Independent city councillor Terry O’Flaherty, and both she and Independent Galway West TD Noel Grealish have appealed to Superintendent Marie Skehill to re-consider her decision and leave the community garda in this post.
Garda Vincent Kelly has been the local community guard for the past four years, covering the area from Cemetery Cross in Bohermore to the GMIT in Ballybane.
“Garda Kelly has built up a great relationship with the local community,” said Cllr O’Flaherty. “He attends numerous residents association meetings dealing with many issues that arise, he has a very good relationship with the elderly in the area.”
Cllr O’Flaherty while aware of the cutbacks in Garda numbers and the closing down of rural Garda stations, feels that this is “a wrong decision and a backward step”.
