Further delay on reopening of Bawnboy Garda Station
The reopening of Bawnboy Garda Station is being held up over the “removal of asbestos” and also by an outstanding decision by garda management on what to do with the attached accommodation.
The update comes as the Office of Public Works (OPW) prepares to submit the necessary Part 9 planning application and progress the procurement of works required to reopen the west Cavan station.
It had been hoped that the station would have been reopened by the middle of this year, but this has now been put back to the beginning of next year at the earliest. It is the second time a reopening date had been flagged and missed for the project.
As The Anglo-Celt previously reported, it could cost up to €250,000 to bring the station back into use.
Bawnboy station was one of six recommended for reopening as part of a pilot programme nationally in November 2017, having been shut initially in 2013 as part of cost-cutting measures introduced by then Minister for Justice Alan Shatter. Other stations locally to close at the time were Redhills, Clontibret, Newbliss, Corrinshigagh, and Smithborough.
In the Dáil last week, Minister of State for Public Procurement and eGovernment, Ossian Smyth, informed local Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith that the OPW has undertaken “technical surveys” on the Bawnboy Station building.
Following this, a report was issued to the Garda estate management on the works required to bring the station up to modern standard, along with the “indicative costs”.
“On final Garda sign-off, the office will prepare, submit and publicise the necessary Part 9 planning application and progress the procurement of works required to reopen the station, which is expected to take place in 2020. In the interim, the OPW is arranging enabling works that are necessary prior to the removal of asbestos,” said Deputy Smyth.
He further explained: “There was also a question about whether these stations should have married quarters attached to them, when operational, and An Garda Síochána has yet to decide whether such accommodation is to be part of the functions of the reopened station,” he added.
Deputy Smith concluded by asking that the Minister of State insist the OPW “stick to the timeframe this time”.
“Bawnboy is a small village in west County Cavan with a rural community and it is a long way to the next Garda station. At the time it was closed, I argued, along with the local community, for it to be reinstated and was very glad when the then Garda Commissioner announced it was one of the stations that would reopen. The local community is anxious that the station be reinstated as soon as possible.”
Deputy Smith went on to state that the Covid-19 pandemic has only served to heighten the value of community policing. “It is a comfort for communities when they know of the local Garda presence, which a local garda station facilitates. I ask the Minister of State to relay the message to officials at the OPW that we want movement on this as rapidly as possible.”