A Limerick priest who was burgled while out at work in his parish has appealed for the retention of rural Garda stations and his call has been echoed by one of his colleagues in the midlands.
Fr Pat Coffey of Doon found a window broken in his house and his possessions ransacked when he returned to his parochial house at nine o’clock.
He praised the efficiency of Gardaí in Doon and Oola, two stations manned by only one Garda and rumoured to be under threat, for coming to his aid within five minutes of being phoned.
“They were most re-assuring and followed up with another call next day,” he added. “It stresses the importance of having Gardaí in our villages and towns.”
Local Fianna Fail TD Niall Collins and Limerick county council chairperson Mary Harty, both expressed shock and sadness at the priest’s plight, and echoed his sentiments about rural Gardaí.
Mr Collins said the moratorium on recruitment of Gardaí should be lifted and rural stations retained.
The government, he said, “should think long and hard before pushing this through because the consequences will be very detrimental to rural life.”
Ms Harty praised the speed of the Garda response to the incident and said it showed the “importance of having them on the spot and ready to react.”
“Hopefully this service will be retained in our villages for a long time to come.”
The thieves who burgled Fr Coffey smashed the sensor lights and then forced access through a side window.
“They got a small amount of cash but nothing precious thank God - they went through everything but all they wanted was cash,” he revealed.
He said he had been impressed by the level of support he has received since the incident.
“I’ve been very fortunate with the amount of callers I’ve had to the house and phone calls from parishioners; they are nearly more shocked than I am and I deeply value the support of the people of Doon.”