Search Results for 'Shatter'

THERE WAS a time when a photograph of Mick Wallace must have marked the bull’s eye of the dartboard in Justice Minister Alan Shatter’s office. That dartboard must be overcrowded these days with pictures of political foes and the Minister running out of enough darts to throw at them all.

Westmeath’s crime rate is decreasing steadily, according to new crime statistics released by the Central Statistics Office.

Fianna Fáil Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív has called for more gardaí to be stationed at Ballinrobe Garda Station following a recent spate of robberies. Deputy Ó Cuív said it is painfully obvious that now is not the time to shut down more Garda stations across Mayo and Galway, as the gardaí are already stretched beyond their limit and the rate of burglaries in the region is soaring rapidly.

The news that six Garda stations in Mayo were included in a rash of closures across the country has been greeted with derision by politicians from the opposition parties in the county. The news was announced on Wednesday afternoon when most eyes were on the announcement of the Budget in the Dáil.

Fianna Fáil’s Robert Troy called it a “a dark day for Athlone” as the Government admitted that the 4th Western Brigade will lose out in the reorganisation of the Defence Forces.

Fianna Fáil Defence Spokesperson Dara Calleary has said he is baffled that the Department of Defence is now looking for Army premises in Castlebar, Cavan, Mullingar, and Clonmel after announcing plans to shut down the barracks in each of these towns.

Some 183 personnel from Columb Barracks will be moved to Custume Barracks, Athlone after the closure of the Mullingar barracks was announced this week.

Fine Gael TD for Longford/ Westmeath, Nicky McFadden, has today expressed her sympathies to the soldiers and families of those affected by the decision to close Columb Barracks in Mullingar.

Local councillor Mick Dollard has said he believes Columb Barracks in Mullingar would be a more appropriate home for the 4th Western Brigade than its current headquarters in Athlone’s Custume Barracks.

Local TD Robert Troy has described as “extremely disappointing” the response of the Minister for Justice to a parliamentary question about plans for the possible closure of Garda stations in Westmeath and Longford.