The decision by the Justice Minister Alan Shatter to close Whitehall Garda Station makes no sense and will be a big loss to the communities of Drumcondra and Glasnevin.
Minister Shatter confirmed that he is shutting down Whitehall Garda station without any consultation with the local community or elected representatives. Whitehall Garda Station is the only Garda Station on the main road between Dublin City Center and Belfast and it is often the first point of contact for visitors from Dublin Airport. Whitehall serves a highly concentrated urban residential and commercial area. There are more than 17 Schools and more than 20 licensed premises in an area with 1,000s of homes, three public parks and 100’s of commercial units. Whitehall district is very busy.
At a recent meeting of the Dublin Central Joint Policing Committee, of which I am Chair, Gardai outlined how the 35 Gardai in Whitehall using a combination of good old fashioned policing and special operations were succeeding to address 100s of crimes relating to burglary, public order and drugs offences. The closure of Whitehall Garda Station makes no sense, economically or socially and is a major concern for the local community.
At the next meeting of the Dublin Central Joint Policing Committee I will seek cross-party support for a motion calling on the Minister for Justice to reverse this crazy decision and to engage with the local representatives on this issue.
Mary.