Town to get armed patrols for influx

Armed gardaí will patrol Rathkeale this Christmas when thousands of transient Travellers descend on the west Limerick town from all over Europe.

The resident population of just 1,500 is due to swell to more than 4,500.

The HSE is setting up a special clinic which will open from Dec 20 to Jan 4 — except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. It will be staffed by a doctor and nurse and open only to Travellers.

The Christmas/New Year period has been marked by violence and public order violations over the years.

Increased Garda numbers resulted in a major drop in crime last Christmas.

The Co Limerick Joint Policing Committee was told yesterday Rathkeale will be the only Limerick town with 24/7 Garda patrols over the holiday.

Insp Paul Reidy told the JPC the patrols will be backed by armed members of the Regional Support Unit and the Traffic Corps.

“A plan has been drawn up and there will be a big increase in patrols in the town and, indeed, unlike other towns in the county, Rathkeale will have 24/7 policing right across the board,” said Insp Reidy.

“We will be concentrating a lot more resources in the town and we will have the Regional Support Unit and the traffic cops there to give back up to deal with public order and any other issues.”

Insp Reidy said a Garda juvenile liaison officer will be deployed to deal with incidents involving underage persons swiftly.

Cllr Stephen Keary said there was a great sense of grievance caused by visitors disrupting the town. While the visitors spend money, he said, they also deter others who shop in the town 10 months of the year.

Seamus Hogan, chairman of the Rathkeale town action group, last night welcomed the Garda move to deploy extra resources to the town over Christmas.

“The town population is just over 1,500 and we estimate it rises to more than 4,500 at times during the Christmas and New Year holiday,” said Mr Hogan.

“When you have an influx of people on this scale, you always need extra resources. Last Christmas went off very quietly and we hope it will be the same this year.”

The HSE will provide extra clinics. A spokesperson said: “A triage clinic for the Travellers will operate from Dec 20 to Jan 4. Last year, it mainly dealt with people with respiratory problems.”