Main pic: Superintendent Karen Duffy with then Taoiseach, Simon Harris, at the MacGill Summer School in 2024. (North West NewsPix).<\/p>\n
A senior garda has admitted there is a shortage of officers on the ground in Donegal, but stressed decisions on where new recruits go are made in Dublin.<\/p>\n
Garda Superintendent Karen Duffy, who is responsible for the Donegal South Community Engagement Functional Area, was speaking at yesterday\u2019s meeting of the Donegal Local Community Safety Partnership (LCSP).<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously we need more Gardai, but that\u2019s out of our control \u2013 that\u2019s a matter for the Garda Commissioner,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The issue of the shortage of garda personnel, particularly in rural areas, was initially raised by Councillor Donal Coyle.<\/p>\n
While stating that guards \u2018don\u2019t have an easy job\u2019, he said he was unhappy with the amount of newly qualified Gardai who were stationed in the county in recent years.<\/p>\n
He added that the partnership needs to be reaching out more to young people due to all the pressures they are under.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the biggest pressures, unfortunately, is drugs,\u201d Cllr Coyle said.<\/p>\n
South Donegal Cllr, Jimmy Brogan, agreed. He added that drugs are a \u2018major scourge\u2019 all across the county.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I was younger, drugs weren\u2019t a big issue,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cCertain places you can go to and certain numbers you can call and you can easily get drugs. But, Donegal is a massive area. In Mountcharles and Donegal Town we are understaffed when it comes to Garda\u00ed. They have a massive area to cover, as far as Glencolmcille. I don\u2019t know who we can talk to about getting more guards\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n
John McCafferty, Arranmore community representative, said he could drive to Galway and \u2018not meet one squad car\u2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should not wait until something bad happens, we simply need more Gardai in Donegal.\u201d<\/p>\n
James Trearty, a retired Garda Sergeant, complained there was a particular lack of Garda\u00ed in Gaeltacht areas.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople rowing in behind Gardai is going to be lost if there\u2019s not that local touch,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo garda stations were sold in Doochary and Churchill and the Brockagh is gone too. We lost two Superintendents in Gaeltacht areas, in Milford and Glenties. There is now one Superintendent in Ballyshannon covering a vast area. We were told if this (new Garda Divisions) was not working, we could revert to having five Superintendents in Donegal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Responding to Mr Trearty, Supt Duffy said the new operation model is national policy and they were informed that it was under review.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe would love to have five Superintendents, but that\u2019s a national issue,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
Donegal Garda shortage \u2018out of our control\u2019, says local Superintendent was last modified: February 26th, 2026 by Staff Writer<\/p>\n
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