Tipperary councillor blasts Justice Minister Helen McEntee over Garda numbers – ‘She’s not living with reality’

The Minister for Justice has her “head in the sand” when it comes to policing in Carrick-on-Suir, according to a Tipperary County Councillor.

Cathaoirleach of Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District, Cllr Kieran Bourke, told the January meeting of the local authority that he had received a reply from the Department concerning Garda numbers in the Tipperary town.

The Fianna Fáil Councillor had the support of other Councillors at a previous meeting when they agreed to write to Minister Helen McEntee and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris. Carrick-on-Suir now only has two Sergeants and four Gardaí, where until recently it had up to 16 or 17 Gardaí stationed in the town of over 6,000 residents.

At Thursday’s meeting, Cllr Bourke said the letter had been sent from “pillar to post”. A Secretary for the Minister for Justice had responded, with “a load of statistics about Garda numbers out of Templemore, and blah, blah, blah.”

“It says that it’s not her responsibility,” said Cllr Bourke. “A joke. Drew Harris passed it over to his assistant. His assistant passed it over some Superintendent, who then passed it over to the Chief Superintendent that’s over Clare and Tipperary, and we’re still awaiting a response.”

Councillor Bourke said the response mentioned “extra” Gardaí for Carrick-on-Suir, but “we’re not looking for any extra guards in Carrick. We’re looking for it to be put back to the numbers that we had.”

“It’s an absolute complete joke,” said Cllr Bourke. “The Minister is completely out of touch. I defended her then when there were Notices of Motions a short few weeks ago. She hasn’t a clue what’s going on. It’s her portfolio, and when she hasn’t a clue what’s going on, we haven’t a hope of getting back the numbers we had in Carrick.”

Councillor Bourke said he would continue to highlight the “huge lack of Garda numbers in Carrick-on-Suir.” He said he knew “for a fact” that there are times when there are no Gardaí at all policing the town of Carrick-on-Suir.

“We’re being policed from Clonmel,” he said. If an incident happens, Gardaí have to travel all the way from Clonmel to Carrick – a drive of at least 20 minutes – to a town with a population of about 6,500, and a hinterland of about 10,000 people.

“It’s an absolute joke. The Minister for Justice is just not living with reality. Her head is in the sand,” said Cllr Bourke.

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