Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It ill behoves the Minister to cite the example of Northern Ireland and Scotland as a reason to support this crazy decision which he knows is wrong. He also knows that 40% of the population of this country resides outside the greater Dublin area and it is they who will be most affected by this decision. He has also closed down Garda stations in the greater Dublin area in Stepaside, Kill-O-the-Grange, Rush and Whitehall, to name but a few. He should not tell the House that this decision is to do with smarter policing. He knows full well - the Garda Commissioner has referred to it - that this is a political choice. The Minister should not attempt to hang the decision on the Garda Commissioner by saying it was contained in the draft policing plan which he presented to him. The Minister had the option to accept, amend, reject or ask for a redrafting of that plan. We know that the considerations were not financial ones. We all know the figures.

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