Gorey Garda station has been without its own marked patrol car for almost three months, forcing gardaí there to borrow vehicles from other Garda districts as cover.
The station's original marked patrol car, a Ford Focus, was written off by assessors after it was involved in an accident in early January. Although a 1998 Toyota Corolla was provided as temporary cover, it broke down less than a week later, leaving the station without any marked patrol car for the best part of three months.
A garda described the situation as "ludicrous", pointing out that Gorey was a 24-hour Garda station heading the local Garda district and needed all its resources to cope with the work in the area.
The Gorey district stretches from south Wicklow and includes Arklow Garda station, along the Wexford/Carlow border to the outskirts of Enniscorthy.
It should have two Garda cars at all times, as does the station in Arklow, while there should be one car each in Courtown, Carnew and Bunclody stations.
At the moment gardaí in Gorey only have the use of one unmarked vehicle, and they have been forced, as a Garda source put it, "to beg, borrow or steal" cars from other districts.
"It's ridiculous," he said. "What we need here is a marked car, especially with the increase in population. There is no car there at the moment to deal with traffic enforcement issues." It was particularly busy for Gorey, he added, with a fatal traffic accident at the weekend and a spate of burglaries and break-ins.
He said he expected a replacement patrol car to be provided by "probably Christmas".
Wexford TD Paul Kehoe (Fine Gael) said he believed many gardaí had to use their own cars on duty.