Cork Gaeltacht area without a garda sergeant for three years due to lack of Irish speakers

Fianna Fáil TD Aindrias Moynihan said the long-term absence of a garda sergeant in the Gaeltacht village of Ballyvourney was unacceptable.

A garda sergeant hasn’t been recruited to a Cork Gaeltacht area for three years because no Irish speaker has been available to fill the post.

This was just one of the many issues highlighted with recruiting gardaí in the county at a meeting of the Cork County Joint Policing Committee (JPC), which heard that large areas of the county have been left with critical vacancies for years in some instances.

The issue of the long-term absence in the Gaeltacht village of Ballyvourney was raised by Fianna Fáil TD Aindrias Moynihan, who said it is completely unacceptable that the village has been left without a garda sergeant for three years.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris recently told the Dáil it is a priority to get Irish speakers into such areas.

However, Chief Superintendent Vincent O'Sullivan confirmed that despite advertising the position in Ballyvourney last year, no suitable applicants emerged with the required proficiency in Irish. It is hoped to re-advertise the post again in May and to have it filled within the month, but it remains unclear whether any Irish speakers will come forward this time either.

Currently, a garda sergeant based in Macroom, around 20 minutes drive away, is helping to cover the area.

The issue is not confined to Ballyvourney, though. Mr Moynihan said there is another vacancy in Coachford which has also hasn't been filled for a long time and this needs addressing.

Fianna Fáil councillor Joe Carroll told Chief Supt O’Sullivan that there has been no garda stationed in Drinagh Garda for some months and this is of huge concern to locals, especially as there is a major co-op there with large amounts of machinery which are being targeted for theft.

“If you have a break-in there then there is somebody (gardaí) coming from far away to get to the scene,” he said.

'Priority'

Chief Supt O’Sullivan said he is trying to fill the vacancy in Drinagh but is hampered by the fact that he has “a couple of members out injured at the moment.” He said, as a result of this, he can’t give a definite date for when the vacancy will be filled, but said it remains “a priority” for him.

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould asked if there is a possibility that additional gardaí can be provided to Blarney garda station.

There is also a vacancy for a garda to cover the nearby Carrignavar area.

The senior garda officer said he’s hoping recruits coming out of Templemore will be assigned to the region which will enable more experienced personnel to be assigned to plug these gaps.

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JPC representative Danny Crowley asked about a vacancy which has remained unfilled for some time for a garda in Durrus garda barracks. He was told every effort is being made to fill that vacancy.

Meanwhile, JPC chairman Labour councillor Cathal Rasmussen said he’s worried about depleted garda resources in his hometown of Cobh.

He expressed concern about this and asked the senior garda to address this going forward, especially with the plan on May 21 to amalgamate the two county divisions of Cork West and Cork North into one.