Wexford

Standing Guard in County Wexford: A Comprehensive Look at An Garda Síochána’s 2025 Work
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In 2025, the Wexford Division of An Garda Síochána has demonstrated a broad, proactive approach to policing — combining major crime-disruption, traffic & rural policing, community engagement, and strategic partnerships. As the county faces both urban pulses and vast rural/coastal terrain, the Gardaí here are adapting to varied demands while keeping the vision of the 2024 Divisional Policing Plan in focus.

Major Crime Interventions & Organised Activity
On 14 January 2025, Gardaí in Wexford North, supported by the local crime unit and operating under Operation Tara, discovered a sophisticated cannabis-grow-house in Courtown: 170 plants, cultivation equipment, estimated street value over €130,000. One male was arrested.

A major joint operation with the Revenue Customs Service and Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) on 18 July 2025 intercepted approx. 80 kg of herbal cannabis in Ballycaraney, Co. Wexford; estimated value €1.6 million. One male arrested.

On 13 August 2025, another intelligence-led raid in County Wexford led to seizure of approx. 6 kg of herbal cannabis (value ~€120,000), plus 1.5 kg more and ~250 g suspected cocaine (~€17,500). Two arrests.

On 30 May 2025, Gardaí at Rosslare Europort arrested a truck driver for alleged people-smuggling: two persons found hiding in a truck during an immigration check; investigation underway.

Implication: These operations show the Wexford Division is actively targeting the supply side of serious crime — drug trafficking, people-smuggling — not just reactive policing but organised, intelligence-led disruption.

Traffic Enforcement, Road Safety & Rural Policing
Between Jan 2023 and June 2025, speed-vans across the county collected approx. €855,840 in fines in Wexford (Enniscorthy district highest) — signalling sustained traffic-enforcement activity.

In April 2025, Garda road-policing in Wexford referenced serious crash closures and diversion operations on rural roads — highlighting the road-safety challenges in mixed urban/rural counties.

Rural policing extends to issues like illegal hunting and trespass: in October 2025 Gardaí, in partnership with the National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS), carried out checkpoints in Wexford to combat unauthorised hunting and trespassing on nature reserves.

Implication: Road-safety and rural enforcement are key pillars of policing in Wexford — with traffic in towns, port activity (Rosslare), and rural/coastal zones all presenting distinct challenges.

Community Engagement, Business Partnerships & Visibility
Wexford’s business community has worked closely with the local Gardaí: In May 2025, the County Wexford Chamber reported multiple district-level meetings between Garda representatives and local business forums (New Ross, Gorey, Enniscorthy, Wexford Town) to discuss safety, crime-prevention, and community-policing strategy.

The 2025 “Garda Youth Awards 2025” in association with Wexford County Council celebrated young people in the 13–21 age group doing outstanding work in their communities — showing Garda investment in youth & community health.

The Divisional Policing Plan emphasises “strengthening community partnerships, proactively preventing, disrupting and detecting crime, supporting the needs of victims … embedded in innovative and sustainable ways of working”.

Implication: Engagement with business, youth, and local communities signals that Garda policing in Wexford is not purely enforcement-focused — visibility, prevention and relationship-building matter.

Strategic Planning, Operating Model & Resourcing
Wexford Division’s plan continues to roll out the national Operating Model’s four-functional-area structure (Community Engagement, Crime, Business Services, Performance Assurance).

Station-coverage data: there are 21 Garda stations in County Wexford. Four operate 24/7 (Wexford Town, New Ross, Enniscorthy, Gorey).

Partial challenge: While rural and coastal coverage remains large, staffing/resource demands in remote areas, port zones (Rosslare) and mixed landscape persist.

Implication: The structural framework is in place; the key will be matching resource deployment, specialist capability and rural accessibility to meet the stated strategic goal.

Looking Ahead – Opportunities & Challenges
‍Opportunities: Continued targeted disruption of organised crime (as shown by major drug seizures) offers high-impact outcomes.

Engaging communities, businesses and young people builds policing trust, which can support detection, prevention, and visibility over time.

Rural and port-area policing models offer innovation (community clinics, checkpoints, outreach) that can strengthen presence in low-visibility zones.

Challenges: Sustaining adequate staffing levels, especially in rural/coastal areas and in specialist units (drugs, immigration, trafficking) is crucial.

Balancing frontline visibility across busy towns (Wexford Town, Gorey) and remote communities remains demanding.

Road safety and traffic enforcement must keep pace with evolving patterns (tourism, port traffic, rural roads) and technological/behavioural shifts.

Translating policing-strategy language (“innovation, community engagement”) into visible presence and outcomes for citizens remains a focus.

Final Word
For the people, businesses and visitors of County Wexford, the message from An Garda Síochána in 2025 is clear: strategic, visible, and community-aware policing. From large-scale drug-interdiction in Wexford’s rural heartlands and port zones, to road-safety enforcement, youth-engagement initiatives and business-community partnership, Wexford Division is adapting to the unique mix of urban, rural and coastal demands in the county. As 2025 progresses, ensuring that these actions translate into sustained community safety, accessible policing and visible presence will be key.






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