Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

Unfortunately, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is unavailable, so I will take this Adjournment matter on his behalf. I have listened with great interest to what the Deputy had to say. I know the area quite well, and it was my understanding that Dublin City Council's north fringe area action plan was planning at its best. These housing estates, including those in Clongriffin, were very much part of an integrated planning process. I would be very disappointed to hear that the first real effort at integrated planning by Dublin City Council is not as successful as might have been expected.

In accordance with section 22 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, proposals on the opening and closing of Garda stations are a matter, in the first instance, for the Garda Commissioner in the context of the annual policing plans. There are currently no proposals for the opening of an additional Garda station in the area to which the Deputy refers. The Minister has been advised by the Garda authorities that local Garda management is satisfied that a full and comprehensive policing service is being delivered to the Donaghmede and Clongriffin area. The Garda authorities have also informed the Minister that, in their view, the opening of a new Garda station in the Donaghmede and Clongriffin areas would be incompatible with contemporary policing policy in the division. It is the view of the Garda authorities that this would result in valuable Garda resources being diverted from outdoor, operational policing to indoor administration duties.

The Donaghmede and Clongriffin areas are policed primarily from Coolock Garda station, which forms part of the Dublin metropolitan north division. The area is subject to regular patrols by uniformed and plain-clothes personnel, supplemented as necessary by personnel attached to the divisional and district detective unit, drugs unit, the divisional task force, the divisional traffic unit and the community policing unit, as well as the Garda mountain bike unit.

Significant additional personnel resources have been assigned to Coolock Garda station in recent years. The total personnel strength of Coolock Garda station as at 31 December 2002 was 84. On 30 September this year, the personnel strength of Coolock Garda station was 117. This represents an increase of 33, or almost 40%, in the number of personnel allocated to Coolock Garda station since 2002.

The Minister is assured by the Garda authorities that the situation concerning the policing needs of this area will be kept under review. When additional personnel next become available, the needs of Coolock Garda station and the Dublin metropolitan north division will be fully considered within the overall context of the needs of Garda stations throughout the country.

The Minister is also informed by the Garda authorities that a review of existing divisional boundaries within the Dublin metropolitan region will be conducted in 2009 with a view to aligning divisional and district boundaries with the four local authority areas. Any changes that may result from this review will take account of the local needs of residents in the areas concerned.

The Minister is also assured that Garda personnel assigned throughout the country, together with overall policing arrangements and operational strategy, are continually monitored and reviewed. Such monitoring ensures that optimum use is made of Garda resources and that the best possible Garda service is provided to the public — an objective which he believes we would all support.

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