From the Galway Bay FM Newsroom: Gardai in Galway city say they are continuing to investigate a number of recent incidents, which have attracted major public interest, and that the force is making significant progress.
As videos of a number of recent anti social incidents in Galway city circulate on social media Gardai have issued a statement to Galway Bay FM news following recent public concerns over violent behaviour in the city centre.
A 19 year old woman continues to receive treatment after she was hit in the face by a firework in Eyre Square last week.
In response to a query by Galway Bay FM news, An Garda Síochána in Galway say they have operational plans in place which includes ongoing visible patrols in public spaces throughout the city including Eyre Square.
Galway Gardai say they note the high level of public use of this space which suggests that the vast majority of people use it in the knowledge that this is a safe and welcoming space and do so in a responsible peaceful manner.
At this months meeting of the Galway City Joint Policing Committee Chief Superintendent Tom Curley stated that gardaí may be forced to close Eyre Square at night if anti-social behavior continues to escalate. Today's Garda statement says that access to this amenity is not just the responsibility of An Garda Síochána but involves a number of stakeholders.
Garda management in the Galway Division also highlight that Public Order and Drunkenness Offences, Minor and Serious Assaults were stable or have not increased significantly compared to same period in 2020, despite far greater public restrictions last year and the current higher public usage of public spaces.
In response to concerns regarding the level of Garda resources to police the city, Galway Gardai state that since the most recent low strength in 2014, Garda numbers in the Galway Division have increased by approximately 14%, in line with the national comparison.
