Tipperary's Garda drugs squad is not being disbanded, Garda chief tells Joint Policing meeting

The Chief Superintendent of the newly amalgamated Clare/Tipperary Garda Division has denied that Tipperary’s Garda Drugs Squad will be disbanded underorganisational changes in the force.

Independent TD Mattie McGrath asked at the quarterly meeting of Tipperary’s Joint Policing Committee if the drugs squad teams based in Clonmel and Tipperary will be broken up due to the amalgamation of the Clare and Tipperary Garda divisions and was told by Chief Supt. Colm O’Sullivan that this wouldn’t be happening.

“We are not shutting down any drugs squad,” he insisted.

Deputy McGrath also asked at the meeting if the Emergency Response Unit based in Cahir was going to be moved from Cahir and was told by the chief superintendent that he “had no knowledge of them leaving Cahir”.

Deputy McGrath responded that members of the ERU had received questionnaires about where they wanted to go to.

Chief Supt. O’Sullivan defended the amalgamation of Clare and Tipperary Garda divisions in the face of criticism at the meeting from the Newcastle based TD and several other public representatives

He was accompanied at the meeting by some members of his management team, Clonmel based Supt. Kieran Ruane, Thurles based Supt. Eddie Golden and Nenagh based Supt. Oliver Baker.

In relation to the south of the county, Supt. Ruane is now responsible for the new Tipperary South Community Engagement Functional Area, which incorporates the towns and communities within the former Clonmel District and Cahir/Cashel Garda Districts. They include Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir, Cahir, Cashel, Fethard, Kilsheelan, Mullinahone, Ardfinnan, Clogheen and Ballyporeen.

Supt. Golden has responsibility for the Tipperary Central Community Engagement Functional Area that covers areas in former Tipperary and Thurles Garda Districts. They are Tipperary Town, Bansha, Cappawhite, Emly, Golden Killenaule, Ballingarry, Thurles, Templemore, Holycross, south Littleton, Templederry, Templetuohy.

Supt O’Sullivan explained that serious crime investigations for Tipperary and Clare are now led by a detective superintendent based in Nenagh who is supported by two detective inspectors with one based in Thurles and the other based in Clare.
Before the amalgamation, the superintendent at Clonmel Garda Station, for example, was responsible for all crimes in their district. He said the new structure gives them more time to focus on community policing in their areas.

JPC Chairman Cllr Noel Coonan asked what the chief superintendent had to say to people concerned about the way the force has been restructured and the gardaí who were seriously concerned and believe it won’t work. “Ye are in an awful state aren’t you,” he asked.

“No we aren’t,” Chief Supt. O’Sullivan replied.

He pointed out that the new operating model was already working in other parts of the country such as Mayo/Roscommon/Longford, Kerry, Cork city, Limerick and Galway.

He stressed that nothing was changing in terms of the delivery of services to communities.

“If members of the public ring looking for assistance they will still be provided with the same level of service.”

He assured public representatives that the benefits of the new organisational system will become apparent as they work within it.

Deputy McGrath argued that the force might have some chance with this new structure if there was enough recruitment of new officers was going well but he claimed there were one or two recruits leaving every week.

He also pointed to the vote of no confidence in the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris supported by 98.7% by Garda Representative Association (GRA) members, who are in dispute with him over changes to rosters and other working conditions.

“It’s time the senior management listen to the people on the ground and don’t take diktats by this commissioner. He has lost the dressing room.”

He slammed the new organisational structures as a “move away from the people and public representatives” and argued it won’t be possible to implement the new rosters as there aren’t enough gardai.

He pointed to Carrick-on-Suir, a town of over 5,000 people, where there are currently only four gardaí and two sergeants, as an example of the personnel shortage.

Labour Cllr Fiona Bonfield, meanwhile, said she was hearing on the ground the amalgamation is going to result in less community policing.

Chief Supt. O’Sullivan pointed out that the new Garda organisation structures formed part of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland report that was adopted by the Oireachtas and they have been tasked to implement the plan.

“Unfortunately whenever anyone goes through change, we always have these issues coming up but other divisions have gone through those changes and if you go ask those people it has worked quite well.

He acknowledged the force’s personnel resources were not going to change in the short-term but three groups of recruits were undergoing training in Templemore this year and over the next few years garda numbers will increase across the force.

He reminded the JPC members that An Garda Síochána lost two years of recruitment due to the Covid pandemic when everything was shut down.