Locals to meet over proposed change of Rathangan from Kildare Garda District to Leixlip Garda District

A meeting is being held in Rathangan this evening to discuss the proposed change of the local garda station from Kildare Garda District to Leixlip Garda District. 

Locals believe that response times to incidents could be three times longer as gardaí would have to travel from Leixlip which is 45km away compared to Kildare town which is about 10km of a distance. 

Local Fianna Fail Senator and Rathangan native, Fiona O’Loughlin said she has called a public meeting for 8pm in the Rathangan Community Centre in conjunction with local Cllr Anne Connolly.

A statement by Senator O'Loughlin said: "This meeting will be attended by new Kildare Superintendent, Garda Paul Burke. The meeting will focus on policing issues facing the community of Rathangan. Other local Gardai will also be present to facilitate a Q&A style meeting with the community.

Senator O’Loughlin added: “Ensuring a co-operative and effective community policing model in our towns and villages is essential. We have a wonderful community and great local Gardai who work hard to keep our community safe.”

“The meeting will raise issues of local concern, but the primary focus will be to discuss the recent proposal to move the village of Rathangan from the Kildare district to the Leixlip district of the Gardai. This would be a retrograde step in my view.”

“Rathangan has fallen under the Kildare district for many years, and the Gardai in the district have built up a bank of local knowledge and most importantly local connections. To break that vital connection is wrong in my view.”

“A major concern I would have is around response times. In a situation where Rathangan station is closed, a Garda call out from Kildare is a 10km journey. We are looking at about 45km to Leixlip. The quickest sat nav route is roughly a 45-minute journey time, that is not acceptable.”

Senator O’Loughlin concluded: “I have written to the Deputy Commissioner for Policing & Security as well as the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee to highlight my concerns.

"I will also be collating signatures at tonight’s meeting in order to submit a community petition on this change to the Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner of An Garda Siochana.”