The presence of the Chief Superintendent of the Wexford Garda Division, Supt. John Roche, considerably raised the profile of last Friday’s meeting of the Gorey Town Joint Policing Committee, held in the Council Chamber.
The main item on the agenda was the downgrading of Gorey Garda District. Supt. Roche explained the position using facts and distributing information and was patient and frank in his replies to a long list of questions from the meeting.
He said that last year every Chief Superintendent was asked to review their districts. He has four districts and he was asked to look at every option and he did this.
This was within the scope of restructuring the existing 28 districts into the new 14 districts.
“We haven’t got the officers,” confirmed Supt. Roche, who added, “People who retire will not be replaced.” He compared Wexford with other counties – Waterford has three districts, Carlow has two, Wexford has four.
“How will is this going to affect Gorey?” he asked, and then proceeded with an explanation.
“Policing will not change. The station will remain 24-hours. The number of gardaí will remain the same, except for the Superintendent and maybe the Inspector.”
He said that the impact on Enniscorthy is that the Superintendent will have a busier district. “We will have Superintendents managing twice the size of the Gorey district.”
Supt. Roche confirmed that the Garda Station and Consolidation Programme will take place in three tranches on the following dates; April 22nd, June 23rd and November 11th – and the merger between Gorey and Enniscorthy will go ahead on June 23rd.
He admitted that the crime figures for Gorey will be recorded as Enniscorthy and the Gatso van positions will be changed.
Senator Michael D’Arcy challenged Supt. Roche; “Your information is wrong.”
Supt. Roche; “It is based on our crime figures.”
Sen. D’Arcy then called on Supt. Roche to have the decision rescinded.
Supt. Roche accused Sen. D’Arcy of “cherry picking” his statistics.
“The size of the district and the policing service remains the same. The superintendent is not out at 3 o’clock in the morning catching criminals,” he stated.
Supt. Roche pointed out that retiring gardaí are not being replaced. “If somebody retires in the morning, I have to move, that is out of my control, it is a political decision.”
John Browne, T.D, expressed a view from an Enniscorthy perspective when he stated; “People may be thinking that we are dancing in the streets. We are not.”
He referred to the situation at Enniscorthy. “Sometimes there is only one Garda and one Garda car on duty on a Saturday or Sunday night, which is a cause for concern.”
Cllr. Bernard Crosbie queried the accuracy of the crime figures!
In answer to a question, Supt. Roche stated; “The Traffic Corps will not be touched.”
