Fianna Fáil Councillor, John Paul Feeley has expressed his shock at the reduction in Garda numbers over the past five years in the County Cavan. The numbers revealed by Chief Superintendent, James Sheridan at a meeting of the Cavan Joint Policy Committee (Friday 13th February 2015) of which Councillor Feeley is Chairman. ‘The number of Gardai of Garda and Sergeant rank has fallen over the past five years by about 60 leaving 127 Gardai of those ranks in the County. This reduction of 32% is extraordinary and clearly unacceptable. There had been a huge reduction in the number of Gardai nationally from the high in 2009 of 14,317 of about 15% but the reductions in Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal have been far about those levels in fact almost twice the national figure.’ ‘Part of the rational for the reduction of Garda numbers progress of the Peace Process but in reality the Border is still used by criminal elements be they former subversives or otherwise to evade the law be in terms of drive-offs from filling stations, stealing livestock and equipment or fuel laundering or petrol stretching.’ ‘It is incumbent on all political representatives in the region, particularly the Government TDs to use their set out the situation for the Gardai in this County and the region. People are entitled to a reasonable Garda service and that cannot be done with the ridiculous and unacceptable cut to Garda numbers in Cavan over the past five years.’ ENDS
John Paul Feeley
Fianna Fáil Member of Cavan County Council
