Waterford politicians join forces in bid to block Kilkenny becoming HQ of new Garda division
POLITCIANS in neighbouring Waterford have joined forces in a bid to prevent Kilkenny from becoming the headquarters of the expanded new Garda division.
All but one of Waterford’s four local TDs and all 32 councillors have signed a letter to Garda Commissioner Drew Harris urging him to pick Waterford over Kilkenny as the location of the headquarters for the amalgamated division.
Under the Commissioner’s new Operating Model, launched last August, 18 divisions are being merged into nine divisions.
This is causing concern in the divisions affected, particularly in relation to the loss of divisional HQ status for nine of the divisions.
The divisions being merged are: Cork North and Cork West; Clare and Tipperary; Mayo and Roscommon/Longford; Donegal and Sligo/Leitrim; Cavan/Monaghan and Louth; Meath and Westmeath; Laois/Offaly and Kildare; Wicklow and Wexford; Kilkenny/Carlow and Waterford.
Divisions that are retaining their geographical boundaries are the six divisions in Dublin, as well as Cork city, Limerick, Galway and Kerry divisions.
The commissioner has received recommendations from his regional assistant commissioners on the location of the divisional headquarters. However, the final decision has not yet been made.
