Councillor proposes new garda station on Clanbrassil Street in Dundalk

At Tuesday's JPC meeting, Councillor Conor Keelan sought an update regarding a suggestion he made at the last meeting that gardai explore the possibility of opening a garda station on Clanbrassil Street to allow them to have a presence in the middle of the town.

He told the meeting that gardai were reporting a drop in crime figures following the recent opening of a new garda station in the middle of O’Connell Street in Dublin.

He said he had not received any communications from the gardai or the council since the last meeting and was seeking a response.

In response Superintendent Charlie Armstrong said that the opening of a new station would not be an “overnight phenomenon.”

He said there would be a number of issues that would make the move difficult, not least finding staff to man it.

“We have Councillor Yore looking for additional people in Blackrock, Councillor Reilly is looking for additional people at the border, it’s absolutely right that you’re putting pressure on me to get those people out there, but an new station… would require additional gardai, it’s not ac case of just opening a building.

“I’d welcome the support any of you would give me [in seeking more numbers] but that would have to be staffed 24 hours a day.

Superintendent Armstrong finished by saying it would be a “slow burner” but that he had done research on it.

Director of Service with Louth County Council Joe McGuinness said that Louth County Council owns no property on Clanbrassil Street and has no plans for building anything on the street.