Construction begins on Garda HQ for Co Cork 

Station in Macroom will comprise 4,338sq m of modern offices, conference facilities, staff support areas, and custody suites and is expected to be completed in late 2028

Michael Looney, Cathaoirleach of Macroom Municipal District; senator Nicole Ryan; TD Aindrias Moynihan Garda commissioner Justin Kelly; justice minister Jim O’Callaghan; OPW minister Kevin 'Boxer' Moran; TD John Paul O’Shea; and Sarah Woods, assistant principal architect with the Office of the State Architect turning the sod in Macroom.

Construction has begun on a multimillion-euro Garda divisional headquarters for Co Cork in Macroom. 

It marks a significant investment in policing and community safety across the county, said Garda commissioner Justin Kelly.

He was speaking at the sod-turning on Friday, which he performed alongside justice minister Jim O’Callaghan and minister of state with responsibility for the OPW, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran.

Mr Kelly said An Garda Síochána had proudly served Macroom from a mid-19th century station for more than 100 years, but a new building was required to meet the modern policing needs of the region.

“This development reflects a significant capital investment in policing infrastructure and will provide Garda personnel with modern, fit-for-purpose facilities to support the delivery of a responsive, community-focused policing service across Macroom, and the wider Co Cork area,” he said.

The new station will comprise 4,338sq m of modern offices, conference facilities, staff support areas, and custody suites and is expected to be completed in late 2028.

An Garda Síochána's Co Cork division serves a population of more than 500,000 people, encompasses one-eighth of Ireland’s national roads network, and is bounded by one-sixth of the national coastline.

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Asked by the Irish Examiner whether a single divisional headquarters was sufficient for such an extensive area, Mr O’Callaghan said operational matters were for the commissioner, but added: “Cork is well serviced and served by An Garda Síochána.”

Mr Kelly said nobody had suggested to him that a rethink was needed on the Co Cork division — which merged the former Cork North and West divisions — but “of course if [such suggestions] come to me, I’ll consider them and we will look at them really carefully”.

Asked about use of Tasers, which were issued as part of a six-month pilot scheme to 128 uniformed gardaí in Dublin, Kilkenny, and Waterford in December, Mr Kelly said: “They have been withdrawn from their holsters, and, really beneficially in my view, they have de-escalated a number of situations, but they haven’t been fired."

Mr O’Callaghan and Mr Kelly both paid tribute to the late Fine Gael councillor Michael Creed, who passed away last Sunday, as someone who had long advocated the building of a new Garda station for Macroom.