David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is something I would take very seriously. The process entailed a set of criteria given by the Minister to the Commissioner. That criteria were then used to select the opening of six stations. It is possible, in my view, that the whole process was set up to ensure that the outcome was to open Stepaside Garda station, but notwithstanding that, which is my personal view, it ended up that it was one of those stations that was recommended for reopening.

It was possible for the then Commissioner to change the criteria. I am wondering why the then Commissioner would not have said that perhaps the view of Mr. Leahy should form part of the criteria, or that she would want to hear directly from the commanding officers on the ground, who know the demands on policing and that she should change the criteria to ensure those demands were met. If this was not a political decision, but purely based on policing, then I would want to hear directly from the commanding officers on the ground. What I am hearing from Mr. Leahy is that if he had to make that call in the here and now, independent of direction from superior officers, he would not make the decision to reopen Stepaside Garda station as there are other pressing priorities.