Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

I am grateful to Deputy Deenihan for raising this matter and affording me the opportunity to explain the latest position regarding Castleisland Garda station. There was an arson attack on Castleisland Garda sub-district station in March 2001 which caused extensive smoke damage to the station. Following this incident, the Office of Public Works identified alternative temporary accommodation, acceptable to the Garda authorities, in the former Castleisland Credit Union premises.

All parties, however, agree that a new station is required for Castleisland. Accordingly, the Office of Public Works identified several sites for a new Garda station in the town. The Garda authorities confirmed the suitability of a proposed site and the Office of Public Works is preparing a valuation report on the site. Negotiations with the owner of the site will commence when the report has been completed and the Commissioners of Public Works hope soon to be able to make an offer to purchase the site.

I concede to the Deputy that this situation has gone on too long and assure him that the project is progressing and there will be no furtheravoidable delay in providing the new accommodation. I am aware of the threatened withdrawal of Garda personnel to Killarney Garda station from 1 July next. The Garda management officials of my Department and the Office of Public Works in full consultation and agreement with the Garda Representative Association and the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors decide on the selection of all new stations to be built or existing stations to be refurbished, including their relative priority. Castleisland Garda station has been and will continue to be dealt with within this process which has worked well in the past.

I can understand the frustration of the gardaí working in Castleisland Garda station, bearing in mind what the Deputy has said about it. I assure them that the matter is moving on and I will make it my business to find out why it has taken so long. I have directed officials from my Department to liaise with the Office of Public Works to expedite this important project and I will speak to the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Parlon, to ensure that in so far as there is any problem in the fact that two agencies are involved that it receives the priority the situation demands from both of our Departments. Meanwhile, I ask all concerned to deal with the matter within the existing machinery.

The gardaí occupy some 703 Garda stations throughout the country. Many of them, including Castleisland, need to be rebuilt, updated, modernised or replaced. This is being done in a structured and systematic way. Much work has been done in recent years and more is scheduled over the next few years. In the order of €112 million will be spent between now and the end of 2007 on the overall Garda building programme. This level of investment demonstrates the high priority the Government affords to the programme. There has been significant recent work to improve Garda stations and build new stations around the country.

I am grateful to the Deputy for bringing this continuing and unacceptable delay to my attention. Four years is far too long to wait for this. We will learn lessons from this experience and will not repeat such a delay in future. The members of the force are doing a good job in their community and should have decent facilities, and temporary accommodation should not become permanent, which has been a trend in some cases.

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