WEST Cork has once again lost out in the latest allocation of new gardaí recruits with none being appointed to the area while the newly formed Cork County Division (which includes West Cork and North Cork) has received just three new probation gardaí.

These probation gardaí will be stationed in Mallow, Fermoy and Midleton while 36 probationer gardaí will be assigned to the Cork City Division.

The overall number of probationer gardaí allocated to County Cork this year is 76, the largest since the Garda College re-opened in 2014.

During September’s intake of new garda recruits, just one probation garda was appointed to Bandon Garda Station, while stations in Mallow and Midleton received two probationer gardaí each.

As previously reported in this newspaper, latest figures for gardaí in the Cork West Division shows that there is less than one garda per 1,000 population – approximately 0.96 gardaí per 1,000 people.

Speaking to The Southern Star, Chief Superintendent Vincent O’Sullivan said that while the Cork County Division has only received three new probationer gardaí, they have received additional members from other divisions.

‘These have been spread out across the county including Cork South West. We also got a full member for Bandon Garda Station and we are waiting for an update later this week on others.’

He also confirmed that a garda attached to Dunmanway Garda Station works out of the Drinagh Garda Station, after the last garda serving the village retired in 2022.

Last week’s ceremony at the Garda College in Templemore saw the largest single attestation of new gardaí since 2019, with 194 new gardaí graduating, while the largest class of garda recruits in a decade, 200, entered the garda college
last week.

Meanwhile, there is still no progress on the stalled CCTV community systems for three West Cork towns, which were switched off in July in an apparent row between Cork County Council and An Garda Síochána over who controls the data.

Independent Ireland leader Deputy Michael Collins raised the issue in the Dáil last week and said it has become ‘nobody’s child’ as both the local authority and An Garda Síochána have said it’s ‘not an issue for them.’

‘It’s been four months since it was switched off and I want to know when it will be switched back on,’ said Deputy Collins.

Communities in Clonakilty, Skibbereen and Dunmanway are anxious for this to be resolved as incidents of crime and anti-social behaviour isn’t being captured.

A Cork County Council spokesperson previously told The Southern Star that the local authority is continuing to actively engage with An Garda Síochána on this matter.

Meanwhile, the construction of the new Macroom Garda Station, which will be the HQ for the Cork County Garda Division, is imminent after being announced as part of Budget 2026.