Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is now 28 September 2017. We all know that political statements have been issued and commitments made publicly about the opening of stations. The fact is, however, that the acting Garda Commissioner is saying this morning that no decision has been made by An Garda Síochána to actually do so. That is incredible. That is the first thing I want to say. The second thing concerns the criteria. We have to stick to the reason that we are here today.

To be fair to the acting Garda Commissioner, there is a heavy weight on his shoulders. He was in Templemore last week. This is a new broom and a new beginning and I genuinely wish him the best. I want to know for certain, however, about the process through which the stations were closed. Given that the acting Garda Commissioner has said that the same criteria were used on both occasions, I want to know for certain that the documentation currently exists to reopen those stations, down through all the superintendents and the whole network of the gardaí. I want to know that it exists in the same form as it did in 2012 on 28 September 2017, and that it has existed since we were told of the existence of an interim report.