Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for committing to visit Clonmel when I asked her to about three weeks ago. One cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Clonmel Garda station is draconian and unfit for purpose. As I said, it is an early 19th century building. The public office is not as big as the Clerk's table in front us in the House. It is tiny. It was refurbished lately in small bits. However, the building is higgledy-piggledy and people are always up and down stairs. The cells are not fit for purpose. Interview rooms and meeting rooms are the same. It does not have the facilities for the gardaí.

I welcome the Minister's commitment to visit Clonmel. The site has been acquired by the county council. The old Army barracks is a very proud site and a very emotional issue for Clonmel. Some 1,000 incidents per month are dealt with by Clonmel Garda station. It is a huge district. It covers Carrick-on-Suir, Fethard and out to Clerihan. We also acknowledge new recruits that have arrived recently. More are on their way. They were badly needed. There is an excellent Garda workforce under superintendent Willie Leahy and his team. The building is antiquated. They are waiting for so long.

There were big hopes when the former Minister, Mr. Alan Shatter, announced the move to the Kickham Barracks site three or four years ago, but nothing has happened. The Minister is working with the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, as am I, to try to achieve that. It is part of a public-private partnership along with other stations. My fear, the fear of the gardaí and the fear of the public I represent in Clonmel and Tipperary is that there are too many projects in that bundle and that other projects might not be at as advanced a stage as Clonmel. We need a big push. We have been talking about the Garda all week. Gardaí need to be supported. They need proper working conditions and so does the public that uses that station.

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