Works at Enniscorthy garda station begin
WORK on a €1million extension at Enniscorthy Garda station is currently under way.
Minister of State for Law Reform and Wexford TD James Browne confirmed that the extension will include works to the Garda Regional Armed Support Unit.
“As I announced several months ago, the contract process moved very well, which has assured the commencement of works recently. The extension will make a massive difference as the Enniscorthy base is in a good geographic position to rapidly respond to armed threats to public safety and law and order.”
Minister Browne commended Chief Superintendent Derek Hughes and his management team for leading this development in partnership with the OPW. The works are expected to conclude before the end of the year.
“An additional 12-15 Gardaí will be based in the unit. As a Minister of State at the Department of Justice, I am acutely aware of the benefits that will be realised because of this extension. I’m delighted to confirm progress in relation to this project and I will continue to work with Government colleagues to deliver further Government investment in County Wexford” he added.
The Armed Support Unit (ASU) was established in the Enniscorthy Station at the start of the very first Covid-19 lockdown, so the upgrade and project has come a long way.
Inspector Syl Hipwell said the ASU has responsibility for the south east region, incorporating areas of Counties Wicklow, Carlow and Waterford, in addition to Wexford and is an incredibly important aid.
“It is absolutely brilliant. It is bringing more qualified people back into the building” he said.
However, due to the sensitive and specialised nature of the unit, there is only limited interaction between the unit and the rest of the station.
“Sometimes you would hardly know they are here but that has to be the way it is. Because their equipment is all personally assigned, they can’t share equipment and are responsible for everything they have themselves” he added, emphasising their role.
The ASU are rigorously trained to confront and disarm people caring knives or guns, providing tactical support during searches, execute operations to counteract the movements of criminals and to counter terrorist attacks at airports.
The unit comes under the Special Tactics and Operations Command (STOC) division which was established in 2017 as a result of recommendations in the 2015 Garda Siochána Inspectorate Report, ‘Changing Policing in Ireland’.
The objective of STOC is to make policing safer by providing specialist firearms and less lethal services for response to spontaneous incidents as well as pre-planned operations.