The following motion was moved by Deputy Niall Collins on Tuesday, 29 January 2013: 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.

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