Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move:

That Dáil Éireann:- acknowledges the central role that An Garda Síochána has played in providing security to the State and people of Ireland since its foundation;

- recognises the vital need for a well-resourced, strong Garda force in tackling the evolving threat of criminality in Ireland;

- accepts the views of the Garda Commissioner that he would not like to see the strength of the force drop below 13,000 members;

- agrees that Garda stations play a pivotal role in the fabric of rural Ireland by upholding their central position in the life of the towns and villages they serve and their part in effective on-the-ground community policing;

- accepts with grave concern the disturbing rise in burglary levels across the country, particularly in commuter belt areas, and the impact this has had on the safety and security of the family home across the country;

- agrees that the increase in the disturbing number of illegal dissident actions in the past number of months and the growing threat of dissident terrorist activity is unacceptable;

- condemns the rise in gangland-related murders in 2012 and the ongoing threat of gangland violence across the country;

- strongly disagrees with the draconian closure of 140 Garda stations across the State, with over 100 stations due to close on 31 January 2013, particularly in vulnerable rural areas and in busy urban stations such as Stepaside and Kill O' the Grange in Dublin;

- fully opposes the covert reduction in Garda numbers to dangerously low levels through the whittling away of the Garda payroll, which jeopardises the force;

- vehemently disagrees with the Government’s failure to address the degradation of the Garda vehicle fleet, which has an integral part in tackling crime; and

- calls on the Minister for Justice and Equality to:

- reopen Templemore to Garda recruitment to ensure the force does not fall to negligent strength; and

- reverse his attack on the physical infrastructure of rural Ireland and stop the impending closure of Garda stations across the country.

I wish to share time with Deputies McGrath, Kelleher, Browne, Smith and Moynihan.

We have debated the issues in this motion on many occasions but it is worth reminding ourselves of the Minister's announcement that has provoked it. The manner in which the Minister announced to the people the closure of an additional 100 Garda stations on budget day was very regrettable. I described it as cowardly. An e-mail announcing the Minister's adoption of the Garda policing plan was sneaked out on budget day in the middle of the news upload.

At the start of this debate, we must note that the Minister has not taken political responsibility for his decisions. He is responsible for removing Garda stations from communities right across the State against the will of the people and the advice being given to him, including by many of his Fine Gael colleagues throughout the country. Many Fine Gael members expressed to me privately their disgust and dismay over his actions. It ill behoves the Minister to say at any opportunity that these are merely decisions of the Garda Commissioner. The draft policing plan is given to the Minister and it is within his gift to accept, reject or amend it in any way he sees fit.

The Government views Garda stations merely as unnecessary bricks and mortar, or as a kind of nuisance within communities across Dublin and in many other parts of the country, including very rural areas. The Minister is seeking to resile from his responsibilities and from acknowledging the benefit the presence of Garda stations brings to many communities right across the country. He must be put on notice that many in his party are against his proposal. He need only turn on any local or national radio station to confirm this. Fine Gael chairmen of joint policing committees and Fine Gael cathaoirligh of county councils are confirming it. Fine Gael councillor Mr. Michael Ryan, Mayor of Templemore, was on the telephone to me almost 15 minutes ago and he was completely beside himself over the direction in which the Minister is taking the policing service and An Garda Síochána.

The Minister fails to recognise that the presence of An Garda Síochána in every community is a significant deterrent. He tries to explain his decision away by asking us to note that there are fewer police stations in Scotland and Northern Ireland, suggesting that we should emulate them. There is no recognition of the fact that our population is dispersed completely differently from those in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Throughout the country, people are suffering from the effects of cuts across a spectrum of services. These cuts are now having an impact on Garda stations. The Government has cut the number of community welfare officers and it is seeking to cut the number of small schools. It is considering banks and credit unions.

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