Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

When they come to write the political review of the year, Deputy Shatter will, as a result of how he disseminated this information on budget day last week, be dubbed the most cowardly Minister. It was an exceptionally cowardly act, in the middle of the busiest political day of the year, to announce the closure of up to 100 Garda stations throughout the country in the manner in which he did without affording Members any real opportunity to debate the matter in the House, other than by means of tabling parliamentary questions. That is why I tabled this priority question today. The Minister has missed the point completely. It is not a question of freeing up Garda resources and, in order that they might perform other duties, members of the force. Gardaí are already performing such duties. What is at issue here is the fact that many of the stations it is proposed to close are open only on a part-time basis. Such stations are there in order that the force might show a presence in communities, both urban and rural. People must realise that these closures do not just relate to gardaí and stations in rural areas. The presence to which I refer and the relevant Garda infrastructure are to be removed from communities. The deterrent they offer will also be removed as a result, which is regrettable.

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