Gardaí across the Galway Division reported fewer than 10 public order-related arrests on Monday this week as the county and city celebrated St Patrick’s Day.
An extensive Garda Roads Policing operation was in place between 7am on Thursday, March 13 and the morning of Tuesday, March 18.
Over the Bank Holiday period, An Garda Síochána carried out more than 1,025 Mandatory Intoxicant Testing (MIT ) checkpoints, administering 4,969 breath tests and 190 oral fluid tests across the country. These tests led to 214 arrests for driving under the influence.
More than 2,650 drivers were detected for speeding offences nationally, including one vehicle driving at 171kmph in a 120kmph zone near Kinvara, County Galway.
“In general An Garda Síochána is happy to highlight that a predominantly family friendly and positive atmosphere was in evidence across the country over the recent St Patrick's Festival weekend festivities,” said a Garda spokesperson.
Galway gardaí investigating a fatal crash in Barna on Sunday, March 9, are looking to speak with the driver of a car who stopped at the scene of this collision at New Village in Barna at approximately 11:17pm, for a number of minutes. “This driver may have information that could assist this Garda investigation,” investigators said.
The collision involved three cars, and the driver of one, a man aged in his 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin TD for Galway East, Louis O’Hara, said that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s failure to address policing numbers is leaving the people of County Galway exposed and putting the communities at risk. He wants the force to exceed 1,600 members.
“Figures presented today show that that Ahascragh Garda Station has now lost the only Garda assigned to the station, while Eyrecourt and Ardrahan stations remain without any Garda assigned to them also. A large number of rural stations in County Galway only have one Garda assigned to them,” he said.
The latest crime figures show burglaries across County Galway are down 1 per cent in the last three months of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023. There were 376 burglaries reported across Galway in the final quarter of last year.
