Minister to officially open Bailieborough station in October

The official opening of Bailieborough's new €24 million Garda headquarters is expected to be carried out by Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan on a date in October.

All Garda operations have now moved from the former station on Barrack Street, bringing to an end an era at the old premises, a former RUC barracks.

Work on redeveloping the former National Irish Bank building on Main Street began in 2022, and represents one of the most significant public investments in the town in recent years.

The new facility will serve as the Divisional Crime Hub for the Louth-Cavan-Monaghan Garda Division, while the Divisional Protective Services Unit for Cavan will also operate from the site.

More than 60 personnel are expected to work from the station, with the possibility of further increases in future.

Preparations are currently under way to return the property to the Office of Public Works (OPW), with a decision yet to be made on its future use or disposal.

Unlicensed firearm crackdown

Gardaí are preparing to launch a major crackdown on lapsed firearms licences, with gun holders facing the warning to getting their paperwork in order- or risk possible further action.

Letters are expected to be issued to local firearms holders whose licences may have expired in the coming weeks, reminding them of their legal obligation to renew. Those receiving the notices are expected to be given 14 days to renew their permits, with gardaí warning that failure to act could result in further enforcement measures, including the possible seizure of firearms. It is understood there could be a significant number of firearms holders in the region for which licences have not yet been renewed, and gardaí are now urging owners to regularise their situation.