Mr. Martin Callinan:

It is somewhat hypothetical but I take the Deputy's point on matching a policing service to the criteria of the day, of which crime is foremost in people's mind, even though other issues include traffic, saving lives, immigration services and the other policing disciplines we are involved in. The public wants to see a reduction in crime and an elimination if at all possible. To respond to crime and crime levels, we must have a very effective regime in place, and I and my command see the need to put certain initiatives in place. What we are seeing, in the context of more station closures, seeks to address the issue. In short, I would recommend the closure of stations and a different policing model because we must move on. The Deputy's comments are correct in respect of the local garda listening and hearing things. What about the high end of the business and obtaining high-grade intelligence to help to identify the people from Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway who are coming into local areas and frightening people in their beds at night and creating mayhem in the commercial world by carrying out burglaries and robberies? There is a balance to be struck and that is what we are trying to achieve by providing the effective policing we are espousing.