Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to our meeting. He referenced that funding is available for 1,000 new recruits each year. That is very welcome news. As the saying goes in my neck of the woods, a dumb priest never got a parish. I hope the Garda Commissioner considers County Kerry, and indeed his Kerry family. There is a very obvious need for additional gardaí in my county, and they need to be visible on the ground.

The €4 million available under the local community safety partnerships and community safety fund is from the proceeds of crime seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau and An Garda Síochána. It is to be invested into local projects aimed at enhancing safety. Does that cover CCTV cameras? I raised this at a previous meeting. I ask especially with regard to Killarney. Killarney has been campaigning for many years now. I was a former member of the joint policing committee in Kerry and it used to come up at every meeting. My council colleagues in Kerry were always raising it, including Councillor Niall Kelleher in Killarney.

I also raised the matter of a securing, maintaining and training a cadaver dog. I know they are expensive and their usefulness is for a maximum of four years. I believe that is a matter for the Commissioner and how An Garda Síochána spends its money but it is very important because we see issues all of the time in trying to find human remains etc.

In regard to the Courts Service, the Minister visited Kerry recently and that day he also visited Tralee courthouse where he saw the situation on the ground. I am aware that funding is an issue. Is there any further update in that regard?

Regarding courthouses, we had a courthouse in Killorglin for many years. It has passed its sell-by date and is now being transformed into a facility for the local community in Killorglin. Library Place in the heart of the town was developed and included a proposal for a courthouse. Is it possible for the Minister to ask the Courts Service to look at this again? It is a huge loss to the town. Court cases are going to other towns throughout County Kerry and they are not suitable for them. I believe the location in Library Square in Killorglin would be more suitable for court hearings and I would like that to be looked at.