Yesterday, figures released to the Irish Independent showed that Ballina Garda Station saw the greatest increase in reported crimes across the county from 2019 to 2024.
The pre-pandemic figure of 472 rose last year to 512.
While the number of reported crimes in the county decreased, 14 of the 29 Garda Stations in Mayo reported increases.
Cathaoirleach of the Ballina Municipal District Michael Loftus believes that the closure and decrease in hours at rural Garda Stations has a substantial impact on these figures in Ballina.
He has called once again for a replacement to the Joint Policing Committee meetings – as there hasn’t been one for 16 months now.
Cathaoirleach Loftus has criticised the lack of deployment of new Garda College graduates to Mayo, and says that if the majority continue to be sent to Dublin, then Mayo should get at least 10 members when the next intake passes out of Templemore.
He has been speaking to Midwest Radio’s Rian Bailey, and first gave his reaction to yesterday’s figures:
