Two senior gardaí are appointed to Mayo district

Mayo is to get two new Garda superintendents.

Superintendent Peter Conlon will transfer from the Galway Division to Ballina Garda Station on promotion. This includes responsibility for community engagement, crime prevention and investigation, victim support, incident response, operational and community policing in the Mayo North Community Engagement Area.

Superintendent Deirdre Gill is transferring to Claremorris Garda Station with responsibility for for community engagement, crime prevention and investigation, victim support, incident response, operational and community policing in the Mayo South Community Engagement Area.

The announcement was made just days after Fianna Fáil Cllr Michael Loftus hit out at the lack of senior gardaí in Mayo. 

Speaking at a meeting of Mayo County Council, Cllr Loftus said it was disappointing that a Dublin-based superintendent had gone on television to comment about a recent tragic accident in Mayo.

“What does that say about us, our community, our area that we actually have no superintendent who could go on television and explain the situation in relation to that accident? We had six superintendents and now we are down to zero."

The Crossmolina councillor said he was also perturbed by the decision to replace the Joint Policing Committee with the Local Community Safety Programme.

“The JPC was our only route in relation to dealing with An Garda Síochána here in Mayo. This is the brainwave of one individual in the Department of Justice and this went through the Oireachtas and the Seanad. Our Senators and TDs allowed it to go through. It’s a disgrace and it’s disrespectful to each and every councillor in this country and in this county,” said Cllr Loftus.

He also expressed anxiety about proposed speed limit reductions from 80km to 60km per hour on local roads.

“Where is the knowledge coming from to do this? It’s a knee-jerk reaction to all the deaths on the roads. I just question how it’s going to be enforced.”

His views were backed by fellow councillors including Fianna Fáil Cllr Damien Ryan who said it “beggars belief” that a “one size fits all approach” is being taken. He said the proposed speed limit reductions are nothing more than “a cop-out”.