Harris agrees to address concerns in Limerick over garda deployment

GARDA commissioner Drew Harris has agreed to address concerns from Senator Kieran O’Donnell over his call to move officers from the courthouse to O’Connell Street.

Both Mr O’Donnell and the Limerick Chamber have urged the redeployment of front-line garda staff from the Mulgrave Street facility to the city’s main shopping street.

It comes with business owners fearful of crime, and the use of private security in courts elsewhere in the country.

The Limerick Senator raised his concerns with the top man in An Garda Siochana when he appeared before the Justice Committee this week.

Mr Harris said he “wholeheartedly agreed” with Mr O’Donnell over the redeployment of Gardai.

“Gardai are too precious a resource to be doing a function that can be successfully undertaken by private providers of a security function.

“It is not to say we abandon the courts, if there is a particular threat, we would obviously be there as well, that is very clear,” he told the committee.

The Commissioner committed to providing a detailed written follow-up response to Mr O’Donnell on the matter.

“I would not expect the full redeployment of all 22 gardai, but, we should see at least 16 extra gardai on the streets of Limerick, which is what the public and business community are looking for.

“It’s about the efficient use of gardai for frontline duties and it forms a key element within  the future of policing report,” Mr O’Donnell said.

He also extended an invite to Mr Harris to attend Limerick’s own Joint Policing Committee.