Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Thursday, 26 June 2025
Public Accounts Committee
Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
2:00 am
Mr. Drew Harris:
We have an extensive estate. We have not sought to close any stations. Why we want to retain that estate is that, as we grow and are able to staff those stations more, then the service we provide will grow as well. I am conscious of the number of stations we have that can be manned by one or two people. Our model is to be close to the community. To do that, we wish to open stations, but it is against our resourcing profile at the moment that we find ourselves in a position where stations either are not open or are not open 24-7. Our hours are restricted, but we want to move from that. I know people take heart from a station being there and there is a lot of confidence from a station being open. We are certainly tied into that model of policing.