A NEW border based armed Garda support unit is now operational. The new unit has started operation in the days that followed the abduction of Quinn director, Kevin Lunney close to the Fermanagh border.
This will be the third border based Armed Support Unit (ASU) operated by the Garda, and will be based in Cavan Town.
The other two units are based in Ballyshannon and Dundalk.
The announcement that the new unit was to come into operation was made at an annual cross boarder crime conference held in the Slieve Russell Hotel, Ballyconnell. Present at the meeting was Drew Harris, Garda Commissioner, Simon Byrne, PSNI Chief Constable and the Justice Minister.
It is anticipated that this new unit will plug the gap in armed back up in the nearby border region.
The announcement comes after criticism of a perceived lack of resources allocated to border divisions in light of threats from dissident republicans, the impact of Brexit and after the recent savage attack on Quinn Industrial Holding director Kevin Lunney.
Speaking at the meeting, the attack was condemned by Minister Charles Flanagan, who in calling for facilitation of cross border co-operation referred to it as an ‘abominable attack’.
In the wake of such criticisms Garda have been vocal in confirming that there is no shortage of resources allocated to investigating the savage attack on Mr Lunney. Garda from Cavan Monaghan are to be supported by national Garda units.
It is also understood that additional officers will be deployed to the border region as policing operations step up
This is set to include 20 Garda graduates who are to be deployed to the Cavan-Monaghan area later this year. On the other side of the border the PSNI are also to deploy extra resources with almost 200 extra officers reportedly set to be deployed to border regions.
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