Garda cuts ‘leave rural area at risk of crime’

It is open season for criminals in rural Ireland because they know they will not be caught, the head of Irish Rural Link has said.

Seamus Boland, CEO of Irish Rural Link, the national network representing rural communities, also said many people are living in fear and have lost confidence in the gardaí’s ability to carry out their duties because of the scale of cutbacks to the force.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter announced the closure of another 100 gardaí stations on budget day, with garda representatives warning the latest cutbacks will “sever” connections between communities and local gardaí.