UPDATE: Chief Superintendent confirms more gardaí for Kildare

A Chief Superintendant has confirmed that more gardaí will be allocated to County Kildare.

It follows after a letter sent from the Kildare Joint Policing Committee (JPC) urged Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to address a shortage of gardaí in the county.

Part of the letter read: "Currently, it is estimated that Kildare Division has an allocation of 17.9 members per 10,000 population which represents a decline on the 2018 figure and confirms that Kildare remains significantly below the current national average which is approximately 26 officers per 10,000 of population."

"We are aware that efforts are being made to redress this imbalance, but these need to be accelerated urgently: Kildare has a growing population, and the second chart on page three (taken from the draft Regional Spatial & Economic Strategy) shows the projected growth in Kildare's population over the next decade.

"This information needs to be included in the decision-making process."

In response, Supt John Scanlon said that Commissioner Harris is aware of resource shortages in the Kildare Division, and that a new recruitment campaign will be launched in 2022.

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"It is anticipated that the numbers allocated to this Division would be allocated in line with this," Supt Scanlon explained: "It is estimated that this recruitment process will provide an additional 800 Garda members and Garda staff countrywide and the Kildare Division will be allocated members from this campaign."

"It is also envisaged that once more Garda members are recruited, this will enable more experienced members who are stationed in city stations the option to transfer to the Kildare Division and provide a more experienced approach to policing in the area. 

The Supt added: "From projections attached in your correspondence, it is anticipated that the population of County Kildare will increase to between 249,000 - 254,000 by 2026 and 259,000 - 26,500 by 2031 and it is hoped that the Garda resources available to this Division would be reflective of these increases at that time."

Independent councillor for Kildare, Fiona McLoughlin-Healy, said she welcomed the news.

Cllr Fiona McLoughlin-Healy, Independent

I’m hopeful that the letter issued to the Commissioner by our Chief Superintendent is an acceptance of the stark figures I quoted previously and an acknowledgement of the dire need for additional Gardaí in Newbridge.

She added: "I’m hopeful that the letter issued to the Commissioner by our Chief Supt is an acceptance of the stark figures I quoted previously and an acknowledgement of the dire need for additional Gardaí in Newbridge."

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