Gardai move into former shirt factory 05.10.07

GARDAI in Buncrana are on the move next week to temporary new headquarters in a former shirt factory. More than 50 Garda officers will take up residency on Tuesday at the former Clubman Omega plant at Lisfannon, around 3km from the town centre.
	The move from the existing building in the town centre, comes after a wait of more than ten years and ongoing threats of a walk-out by local officers complaining of poor working conditions. The existing station is more than 102-years old and its state of repair, including damp, faulty electrics and flooding, had previously been reported by the GRA to the Health and Safety
Authority. The force expects to be based at the Lisfannon site for around 18 months while a permanent state-of-the-art station is constructed at a greenfield site in the Ardaravan area of the town. Construction of the new station is expected to get underway later this month.

The former shirt factory was vacated last year by Clubman Omega who outsourced production to Lithuania. The building was subsequently bought by a firm of accountants from whom the OPW will lease the premises on behalf of the Garda Commissioner. Sergeant John O'Keefe, who is overseeing the move, said it was a momentous time for the local force.
"We have been waiting for this move for so long and we are delighted that the day has finally arrived," he said. "We are now looking forward to much better working conditions for our members as well as better facilities for the general public. We are particularly happy that there will be better access for parents with prams and people with disabilities." As part of the relocation, the current public telephone number 07493 61555 will be phased out and replaced by 07493 20540. For more photos click here .
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