Plans revealed to double the number of gardai in Limerick town

THE NUMBER of gardai in Kilmallock is to double before the end of the year, a crime prevention meeting attended by over 100 has heard.

Acting County Limerick Superintendent Pat Brennan made the announcement in front of a packed attendance in Bulgaden Castle.

It was the second such meeting called by Cllr PJ Carey after a Kilmallock pensioner was attacked with a slash hook in the dead of night over a jar of change earlier this year.

Acting Supt Brennan, who addressed the crowd at the start, said two gardai were being appointed in the short term with another expected to take up duty by the end of the year.

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It will bring the number of gardai on the ground in the town from three to six under the supervision of Sergeant Martin Concannon.

“Myself and my team were delighted to be able to attend and address the concerns that locals have in relation to the policing of the Kilmallock area,” said Acting Supt Brennan, who was accompanied by Bruff lnspector Gearoid Thompson, Sgt Concannon and Sgt Niamh Brosnan.

Cllr Carey said it was very welcome news and will mean an increase in garda patrols and visibility which so many in the audience had called for.

“These meetings have given people a voice and when they see the new gardai on the beat they can say to themselves I had an input into this,” said Cllr Carey.

From listening to the garda advice, the councillor said the most important take home message for everybody was that to always report a crime and to do so by ringing 999 and not contacting the local garda station.

“Keep reporting crimes because all these phone calls go into garda statistics and the number of reported crimes reflects how busy a locality is,” said Cllr Carey.

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Among the crowd of over 100 were Deputy Richard O’Donoghue and Cllrs John Egan, Mike Donegan, Gerard Mitchell, Brigid Teefy, Martin Ryan, John O’Donoghue, and Sinn Fein general election candidate Joanne Collins.

Barrister Liam Carroll spoke about trespassing laws and the rights of landowners and homeowners. The topic of men coming onto land with lurchers was raised from the floor.

Mr Carroll said that landowners should have no trespassing signage posted on their lands amongst other legal advice.

Cllr Carey wished to thank Acting Supt Brennan and all the gardai for giving up their time to attend the meeting, his fellow politicians, members of the community who came to both meetings, Mr Carroll, the organising committee for the crime prevention meetings and especially Matt Lynch who he called a “driving force”.