Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This issue is about cutbacks and trying to dress them up and present them in a different way. The Garda Representative Association, which represents the vast majority of gardaí, is reporting that their colleagues in the UK say that the reduction in the number of police stations there has had a detrimental impact on their ability to police rural communities. The Minister represents the law and order party and presented himself, as Opposition spokesperson on justice, as a law and order spokesperson but he is ignoring the advice of a former assistant commissioner and of almost every garda on the ground and the experience they have. The impact of closing these stations will be seriously detrimental. Before the Government parties sign off and blame the Commissioner for what they are doing, will the Minister of State consider the concern this will cause? I understand 95 more Garda stations will close in the near future. The Minister needs to understand the fear and concern in rural communities and pull back from this.

See this speech in context