The future of Salthill Garda Station is secure as there is “no intention” on the part of either the Garda Commissioner or the Minister for Justice to close the station.
This is according to Fine Gael Galway West TD Seán Kyne, following questions in the Dáil on Tuesday to Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald.
“The Minister confirmed to me that the station’s future is secure,” he said. “Specifically she stated that she is ‘further advised by the Garda Commissioner that there is no intention to close the station’ in Salthill.”
Concerns for the future of the Salthill station arose at the start of November when, during a Dáil question to Minister Fitzgerald by Independent Galway West TD Noel Grealish, the Minister refused to confirm the commitment given by the previous government that Salthill Garda Station would be retained.
This, along with allegations from other sources, led Dep Grealish to claim that Salthill Garda Station was earmarked for closure within the next two years once construction of the new Garda Headquarters in Murrough, Renmore, is completed. This would also involve the downgrading of Mill Street and the relocation and concentration of all Garda infrastructure into the east side of the city.
However following the latest statements from both the Minister and the Garda Commissioner, Dep Kyne now regards the matter as closed.
“The confirmation that Salthill station is to remain open will be very welcome news for the people of the west of Galway city and large parts of Connemara,” he said. “This controversy has been completely unnecessary. The closure of the Garda station in Salthill was never under consideration. The fact that a reply to a Dáil question did not specifically refer to Salthill Garda Station has caused concern and anxiety.”
Dep Kyne’s party and constituency colleague Brian Walsh also welcomed the confirmation over the future of Salthill, but he was highly critical of Dep Grealish, accusing him of “causing fear and anxiety within communities on the basis of false information”.
“There is no intention, proposal nor desire on the part of either the Government or the Garda Síochána to close Salthill Garda Station,” he said. “There can be no stronger reassurance.”
