Local Fianna Fáil Senator Niall Blaney has welcomed confirmation that Donegal will remain a stand-alone Garda division.
The news came yesterday and followed a u-turn on the proposed amalgamation with Sligo and Leitrim.
“Donegal is so large that it needs its own division to cover the geographical spread, along with being close to the border,”
Senator Blaney said.
“I raised this issue in the Seanad in recent weeks, addressing the problem of drugs coming in by sea and by air. It’s crucial that we have proper policing cover in Donegal.”
However, he said he was ‘not yet satisfied’ with the number of Gardai allocated for the county.
“It was proposed that we were to lose our Superintendent in Milford. I’m concerned that this still may be the case. I’m not satisfied that West Donegal will have the cover it needs and deserves,” he said.
Senator Blaney added that more needs to be done to ensure that Donegal has the police cover that it needs.
“I’ll be doing everything I can to ensure it gets that. I was the first to raise this issue in Leinster House when I brought the Minister for Justice into Seanad Éireann. Following that, a review took place. I’m delighted with the outcome, but this is not the be all and end all. I will bide my time to see what the new outcome is in relation to policing the north, west and southwest of Donegal.”
