County Roscommon Garda 'waiting years' for transfer

A review of the processes in place for Garda transfers has been called for as the case of a County Roscommon Garda on the waiting list for a transfer for years was raised by Sinn Fein Deputy Claire Kerrane.

The Sinn Féin TD has written to the Garda Commissioner asking him to review the transfer process after she was  "contacted again recently by a Garda from the county, stationed away from home, lingering years on the transfer list at a time when Garda numbers in the Roscommon Garda Division are falling year on year, including badly needed Community Gardaí".

In a letter to the Commissioner, Deputy  Kerrane said: "I am just off the phone from another young Garda stationed in a border county, commuting from County Roscommon daily, with a transfer application in for years.

"Why are we allowing good Gardaí leave the force because we can’t facilitate transfers to try and show some support to good Gardaí who have done years away from home and want to settle down at home and work closer to home – not in their backyard but even to allow for a reasonable commute," she asked.

"Can I please ask that, at the very least you would look at the procedures in place for transfers with an eye to ensure we retain Gardaí and give them some hope of being stationed closer to home where they seek a transfer rather than leaving them on a transfer list not knowing what is happening, unable to plan for their own lives i.e. setting up home, marriage, a family.

"This is not the first Garda I have spoken to from County Roscommon, where Garda numbers, and Community Gardaí numbers have fallen consistently year on year and where we need Gardaí who want to come home. They have done years away and done their bit and now want to come home.

"They will end up leaving the force that should be supporting them to try and retain them. I am not talking about Gardaí picking and choosing where they are stationed – I am talking about Gardaí who have served a length of time away, want to be nearer home, and are left on transfer lists with no way to plan for their future. Can the current process for transfers be examined," she asked.

Deputy Kerrane said that she understood there could not be a situation where Gardaí could pick and choose where they are stationed "but for those commuting hours of a journey to and from where they are stationed, putting in a 12 hour shift, that could only be sustained for so long, if the Transfer process allowed for some guarantee that where possible after X number of years, a transfer to closer to home would be facilitated, that would at least give Gardaí some certainty to plan for the future.It isn't as if we are overrun with Gardaí in the county and don't need more."