Ballyconnell Garda HQ downgrade deferred until November

The downgrading of Ballyconnell Garda Station as a district headquarters, and its subsequent amalgamation with that of the Cavan Town district, has been deferred until at least November, The Anglo-Celt can reveal. 

This will also see the proposed closure of Redhills Garda Station also deferred until that time, changes that were all due to be implemented next month.
Stations in Bawnboy, Stradone, Corrinshigagh, Newbliss and Shantonagh closed at the end of last January.
However the Celt understands the latest development in postponing the realignment of districts is due to the imminent hosting of the G8 Summit in neighbouring Fermanagh.
The Garda station in Ballyconnell is at present one of three garda headquarters in the county, alongside Bailieborough and Cavan Town, with the latter to subsume Ballyconnell and the stations within it once the downgrade is completed.
Described as being part of the biggest restructuring of Garda resources in the history of the state, Redhills station which was only open from 6-7pm on weekdays, 10am-1pm on Saturdays and 12-2pm on Sundays, will also come under the control of Cavan, 16 kilometres away. However, with the G8 summit to be held at the Lough Erne Resort outside Enniskillen in June, and in light of the recent major security alerts in the area, a decision has been taken to maintain Ballyconnell as headquarters until later this year. In the past two months both gardaí and their PSNI counterparts have been on high alert following the discovery of a viable 60kg bomb on the outskirts of Derrylin, said to be destined for Lisnaksea PSNI station.
Another, though found to be an elaborate hoax, was discovered a week later near Clough, Roslea. The alert was phoned in to the authorities using a telephone kiosk in Belturbet.
Despite no longer having a presence here in the county, the Defence Forces have admitted holding “regular coordination and liaison meetings with An Garda Síochána in relation to Aid to the Civil Power issues including identifying and responding effectively to any new or developing threats to internal and external State security”.
Meanwhile, Number 10 Downing Street have said that where particular issues are identified, “contingency plans are being developed with PSNI, AGS and our partners and stakeholders. This work is ongoing and is being led by senior officers from both organisations.”