Garda numbers continue to fall in Kinahan cartel districts

Garda districts at the coalface of tackling gangs affiliated to the Kinahan cartel have seen a drop of almost 30% in staffing.

Official figures show that Kevin St Garda Station and Kilmainham Garda Station have been severely hit by cuts since 2010.

The drop has continued in 2017 despite renewed recruitment, partly due to retirements and transfers to specialist units.

Released in response to a parliamentary question by Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh, the figures show:

• Total strength of Kevin St Garda Station fell from 156 in 2010 to 104 in 2017, a drop of 33%;
• This includes a reduction from 117 in 2016, a fall of 11%;
• Total strength of Kilmainham Garda Station dropped from 83 in 2010 to 67 in 2017, a reduction of 19%;
• This includes a fall from 73 in 2016, down 8%.

The continuing reductions come despite the allocation of 27 probationary gardaí to Kevin St and 15 to Kilmainham since recruitment restarted in 2015. Sources said that the allocations have not been enough to offset both continuing retirements and competitions to join specialist national units.

A breakdown of the figures show that the reduction in Kevin St station was hardest on the garda rank (down 35%) and inspector rank (down 50%).

In Kilmainham the drop was greatest at sergeant rank (down 50%), followed by garda rank (down 12%).

Figures in Ballyfermot Garda Station, another busy district, dropped by 16%, from 99 in 2010 to 83 in 2016.

Kevin St and Kilmainham stations cover Dublin’s south-west inner city, an area where the Kinahan crime cartel controls much of the gang activity.

“These figures are alarming,” said Damien McCarthy, Dublin South Central representative on the central executive committee of the Garda Representative Association.

“We have been struggling for some considerable time and these are the fruits of the cutbacks and moratorium on recruitment.

“The fact that the drop is continuing is a clear indication that recruitment has to be accelerated.”

He said transfers to the likes of the Armed Support Unit and the Special Detective Unit were “very important”, but added: “They come from the frontline, which means a reduction in boots on the street.”

He said this was coming at a time when the escalation of the Kinahan-Hutch feud meant it was “more dangerous”. A member of the rival Hutch gang was recently shot in the area but escaped serious injury.