A Waterford Fianna Fail Councillor says he believes a decision to locate the headquarters for the new local Garda Division in Kilkenny is now being reviewed.
It's proposed to merge the existing Waterford division with Carlow/Kilkenny as part of major structural changes within An Garda Siochana.
Eddie Mulligan says he was concerned that at the joint policing committee meeting in Waterford on Monday night, gardai were not able to confirm that Waterford would be the divisional HQ.
He is the outgoing chair of the committee and has written to the Commissioner Drew Harris. In his letter, he highlighted the good community policing already in place in Waterford which would be diluted in losing the Superintendents in Waterford, Dungarvan and Tramore.
"From the sources I was hearing, I understood that the decision was made for it to be located on a geographical basis within Kilkenny.
"Now the question is arising in relation to the National Planning Framework and planning for the future.
"I understand it's being looked at again in relation to locating the divisional headquarters in Waterford.
"All the representations that have been made by our national reps, councillors, the joint policing committee are taking effect and it's being looked at."
Councillor Mulligan says there are a number of reasons why the HQ should be in Waterford.
"Number 1 is the critical mass of gardai located here.
"Number 2 is the infrastructural facilities that are already here.
"Number 3 is the crime statisics for Waterford compared to Kilkenny.
"Number 4 is prison committals and the requirement of supervision of probationers.
"While it's up there and the decision is imminent, I felt we needed to hit hard with facts."
He says lobbying by all parties must continue to ensure Waterford is chosen as the new divisional headquarters.
"The fact that nobody is coming out and confirming that the Garda headquarters will be located here in Waterford still raises that doubt with me
I'm happy enough, I've done all in my power, as a former chair of the JPC and as a public rep for Waterford, to spell out the facts to the commissioner about why the Garda divisional headquarters must be located in Waterford."
