The new as called joint policing model currently being piloted in Mayo is not working according to reports. A key criticism is a lack of Gardai on the ground. The Westport Garda district, said to cover a large area compared to many other districts, reportedly is particularly badly hit. According to documentation a dozen Gardai have left the Westport district and have not been replaced.
Mayo is one of the four garda divisions where the new model of policing is apparently being piloted. The Mayo district say they have not received any new recruits from Garda training college since 2017 when they received five.