8 September 2024
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
City Councillor seeks more visible Garda presence for Cork city centre
Labour Party Cork City councillor and Dáil candidate in Cork South Central, Laura Harmon has said there needs to be a pop up Garda Station established for the city centre area covering the areas of Patrick Street, Washington Street and Oliver Plunkett Street.
“So many households across the constituency of Cork South Central have raised that there is a fear of going into the city centre,” said Cllr Harmon.
“It’s not nice to hear and no one wants to talk down the city centre but there is a feeling that people do not feel safe. They don’t feel safe because there is not a visible presence of Gardaí and because we hear so many shocking stories of assaults recently in the City Centre. There must be more frontline Gardaí assigned to Cork City by the Commissioner. Angelsea Street has become almost overburdened with admin – we need a new visible focal policing point for the city.
”This is a failure of high command in An Garda Síochána and a failure of the Minister for Justice. We can right that by creating a public pop-up station, similar to what was created recently in O’Connell street, Dublin. If criminals see Gardaí on the beat and nearby they will disperse. Reduced criminality can result in better and higher footfall and support local businesses by creating a safer city for all.”
Cllr Harmon has a motion before the upcoming City Council meeting this Monday but said the replacement body for the joint policing committee needs to be convened and issues like this discussed and advanced so that there is real concrete action taken.
Laura Harmon Picture Conor McCabe Photography.