Fed-up gardaí are to refuse to work in 'inadequate' temporary station

GARDAÍ are fed up working out of a temporary station in Castleisland, Co Kerry, and will refuse to work there from July 1.

Fed-up gardaí are to refuse to work in 'inadequate' temporary station

Instead, the 10 gardaí will report for duty to their district headquarters, in Killarney, 15 miles away, Kerry Garda Representative Association (GRA) executive member Dave McMahon said yesterday.

He said gardaí stationed in the former credit union building were being forced to work in unacceptable conditions during their 18-hour station day.

Garda McMahon also said their poor accommodation in Castleisland is affecting the policing of the town, where there has been a stabbing and a spate of street fighting involving up to 20 young men.

The gardaí have written to Superintendent Michael Maher, in Killarney, saying they would report for duty to their district headquarters in Killarney from July 1. Any calls would be answered from Killarney. An arson attack destroyed the garda station in Castleisland four years ago. Since then, local gardaí have no access to a cell in the town, no access to the computerised Pulse system and have to make the 30-minute journey to Killarney whenever they arrest a prisoner.

Garda McMahon said this often left Castleisland without a garda presence as two gardaí were required during the transfer to Killarney.

"This has been going on for too long," he added. "Our working conditions are impossible and are unfair on gardaí and on the public. The public office is smaller than a living room."

Garda McMahon said gardaí regularly had to deal with the public on matters of a discreet nature, but they could not do this because of their cramped and totally unsuitable conditions.

The GRA is to invite Justice Minister Michael McDowell to visit the Castleisland garda station when he attends the GRA conference in Tralee.

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