Ms Nóirín O'Sullivan:

I have said before that it is not about bricks and mortar. I understand the impact of the closure of a Garda station or any other institution in a local area, particularly a rural area where people may feel isolated. It is about our members engaging with the community. Some of the feedback we have received from the community is that people want to have gardaí travelling out to meet them. Some people are not able to go to the local Garda station. Our focus, therefore, is very much on having our members engaging with the community in order that they will not have to go to an office. In making sure gardaí are available, investment in transport has greatly assisted and we are making sure vehicles are allocated to the places most in need.