Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The closure of so many Garda stations in 2013 was a serious mistake. These stations dated back to the foundation of the State and they gave confidence to the elderly and all who lived in rural parishes.

A common request I receive is a request for public lighting. People are afraid in dimly lit streets, crossroads and various places. It is a continuous request to have public lighting so that one could see if there was anyone passing or going by in the dark of night.

I will highlight both sides of Kenmare Bay, 33 or 35 miles long on the southern side and nearly 50 miles long on the northern side. There is no garda stationed in Sneem and if there is a robbery or an accident, it takes 40 minutes if a Garda car has to come from Kenmare and an hour if it has to come from Killarney.

If a person needs help in places like Ballinskelligs, Portmagee, Waterville or Kilgarvan, there is no Garda station. They are all closed. It costs more, we are told, to keep them closed that it did to keep them open. Both sides of Kenmare bay are very exposed to all sorts theft, to the importation of drugs and all of the kind of villainy that takes place when places are not being properly policed. Six homes were broken into in mid Summer in the Glenflesk area, in Headfort and in Muckross and several more in Kenmare. A serious robbery took place in recent days in Killarney. A commercial property was unable to open for a day and a half because so much damage was done to the premises, with cabling and other materials taken out.

People need to be more careful themselves. They should not be putting details of their whereabouts on Facebook, particularly if they have left their homes or gone on holidays. In doing so, they are exposing themselves to these crime boys. As the saying goes, when the cat is out, the mouse can dance.

I concur with Deputy Mattie McGrath on the need for more help for the community alert and text alert groups who are doing great work for their communities. Were it not for such groups, many elderly people would be stranded and lost in their homes. I thank them for their tremendous work. We hear that Stepaside is to reopen. I am asking that the Garda stations in rural parishes like Kilgarvan, Sneem, Waterville, Ballinskelligs, Portmagee are also reopened.

See this speech in context