News Gardaí’s new €40m ‘nerve centre’ opens

A new garda communication control centre for the Dublin Metropolitan Region has been officially

The €40m state-of-the art premises, which will house the operations of garda calltakers and dispatchers, is based at the national Train Control Centre in Heuston Station.

The Regional Control Room is one of four communication centres operated by An Garda Síochána on a 24/7 basis in Dublin, Cork, Galway and waterford.

It is from these control rooms that trained garda personnel answer 999 or 112 emergency calls from members of the public.

The DMR centre was relocated last november from the former Harcourt Square Garda Complex to a highspec and modern space in the nTCC at Heuston Station.

The facility, which is described as the nerve centre to Garda operations in the Dublin Metropolitan Region is comprised of a staff of 100 Garda members and Garda staff.

The Dublin control room answers and dispatches resources to around 800 to 1,000 999 calls every day and around 39,000 per month.

They include alarm system alerts and calls through agencies, such as Dublin Fire Brigade and the Ambulance Service.

Gardaí will co-occupy the building with other agencies including Irish Rail, Dublin Fire Brigade, the national Ambulance Service and Dublin City Council.

It has been funded by the national Transport Authority under the national Development Plan.

The new facility was opened this morning by the Minister for Justice Simon Harris, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and Chief executive of Irish Rail Jim Meade.

Mr Harris said the location of other agencies in the national Train Control Centre will “foster greater communication and collaboration”.

He said what is unique about this particular regional Garda control room “is that we’ll be joined in the building by other agencies and organisations”.

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