There are fears that more garda stations could close in rural areas SAM BOAL/ROLLINGNEWSMore than a quarter of garda stations are manned by a single officer, figures from the Department of Justice show. Out of more than 560 garda stations, 148 are staffed by one officer, with most open only part-time. Seán Sherlock, justice spokesman for Labour, said that growth in the rural population justified keeping all existing stations amid concern there might be plans for further closures. The Garda Síochána Inspectorate, at the request of the Policing Authority, is carrying out a review of the distribution of garda management and use of resources in policing local communities. Almost 140 stations were closed between 2012 and 2014, with garda management arguing that a more strategic use of resources was better than having gardaí sitting at desks.

Source: The Times May 27, 2018 23:03 UTC