Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

The gardaí are currently reviewing this situation and a number of changes are pending in respect of the divisional boundaries as they impact on rural policing. I have met the Garda Commissioner quite a number of times since I became Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform a few weeks ago. One of the issues that arose concerned rural policing, which is a key priority for the Garda plan.

The Deputy criticised my party but when his party was last in power, not one extra garda set foot in rural Ireland. To my knowledge, there are no proposals in respect of the opening or closing of Garda stations other than one planned merger of stations in Cork city which is proposed under the policing plan, although it is an issue for the Garda Commissioner in the context of the annual policing plan which he is required to bring forward under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 and lay before the House. Obviously, the planned merger is to be proposed by the Commissioner.

It is planned to build approximately 80 rural Garda stations to replace existing older stations to change some of the old accommodation in which gardaí must survive. New stations are being built in Ballymun, Trim, Claremorris, Leixlip, Irishtown and Finglas. The new station in Kevin Street in Dublin will the largest station ever built in the State. There will be work on stations in Ballingarry in County Tipperary, Urlingford in County Kilkenny, Donard in County Wicklow, Carberry in County Kildare and a new station in Oranmore in County Galway. The Garda Vote for maintenance is €9.521 million for 2008, which is an increase of more than €1.2 million on last year's budget provision.

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