Garda visibility needed on Tipperary streets as towns are abandoned to antisocial behaviour and drug dealing

Cities are being prioritised over rural areas when it comes to allocation of Garda resources, a Tipperary TD has told Dáil Éireann.

Deputy Seamus Healy, on Wednesday in Dáil Éireann, highlighted the lack of resources allocated to South Tipperary. He said Clonmel was particularly badly affected and stated that town centres were being “abandoned to anti-social behaviour, drug use and drug dealing. The few community gardaí we have do tremendous work but are overwhelmed and stretched to the limit.”

As a result of the debate, Minister Jim O’Çallaghan has agreed to meet South Tipperary TD’s this Friday to discuss Garda numbers in the region.

“Public safety requires a modern, properly staffed, properly funded, properly resourced and fit-for-purpose structured Garda organisation, but despite the best efforts of gardaí on the ground - gardaí who are stretched to the limit - the Garda organisation is not delivering for the public. The new Garda divisions introduced by the former Commissioner are an unmitigated disaster.

The Tipperary-Clare division is particularly unwieldy and dysfunctional, being 170 km from the west coast of Clare to Carrick-on-Suir, a journey of two and a half hours. Garda numbers are down in the area, retirements are up, and the community policing service has been decimated, as has the roads policing unit. In 2010, Ireland had 1,182 community gardaí. In 2026, we have 591. In 2010, Tipperary had 108 community gardaí but now the whole area of Clare and Tipperary has a grand total of 18.

The Clonmel Garda district covers the town of Clonmel, with a population of about 20,000 and another 20,000 in the hinterland, including Fethard, Kilsheelan, Clerihan and Lisronagh. Increasingly, it covers areas with unmanned stations, like Kilsheelan, and stations that have been downgraded, like Carrick-on-Suir.

Clonmel Garda station is particularly badly affected. In 2024, we had 64 gardaí. In October of this year, after the attested gardaí, we now have 55, which is nine fewer than in 2024. This level of Garda numbers does not allow for Garda visibility. To see gardaí on the beat is now a rarity. Visibility and gardaí on the beat are vital for public safety. Gardaí themselves are being put at risk by the fact that they are going out to incidents on their own. We have had instances where gardaí on their own have been assaulted and had to be helped by members of the public. Our town centres are being abandoned to antisocial behaviour, drug use and drug dealing. The few community gardaí that we have do tremendous work but are overwhelmed and stretched to the limit,” said Deputy Healy.

The South Tipperary deputy said the matter should be dealt with urgently.

“ Please do not tell me that we are getting a new Garda station, which we are and it is very welcome, but a Garda station is bricks and mortar. What we need is feet on the beat, and we need them now.,” said Deputy Healy.

Taoiseach Michael Martin said the Garda will be in a position, as recruitment continues, to add move gardaí to Tipperary and to places across the country.

“ I love the way the Deputy says "do not tell me" the good news in advance so that he gets it out before I can say there is a new station at Clonmel. It does represent investment in Clonmel, which needs it, and there is no issue there.

We will refer to the Commissioner the Deputy's emphasis and prioritisation of community gardaí and the desire for more numbers on that front, and we will relay that back. Obviously, it is an operational decision for the Commissioner,” added the Taoiseach.

“With respect, the Taoiseach has not addressed any of the issues I have raised. The fact of the matter is that cities are being prioritised over rural areas, at the expense of rural areas. Garda management appears to be oblivious to the needs of the public in areas like south Tipperary. We only have to look at the recent allocation of new gardaí in October of this year. Of the 207 attested gardaí, 160 or almost 80% went to Dublin and the east, 25 went to Waterford city and the rest of the country shared 22 gardaí. I repeat that in Clonmel we have nine fewer gardaí than we had in 2024. That is not good enough. We are entitled in south Tipperary to a fair share of the Garda complement,” responded Deputy Healy.