Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Committee of Public Accounts is doing good work. It is asking hard questions and exposing issues when appropriate, and we need to respond to the concerns raised through the committee. This is a good thing and it is how democracy works. Sometimes it is uncomfortable for people but it is a good thing.

On Stepaside Garda station, it is an executive function of the Government to set broad policy parameters in respect of policing, and this is what we try to do. The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda divisions. The programme for Government commits to a pilot scheme to reopen six Garda stations, both urban and rural, to determine their potential impact on criminal activity, with special emphasis on burglaries, theft and public order, but also looking at issues such as where population growth is at its most intense. On foot of the programme for Government and while fully cognisant of her statutory responsibilities, the then Tánaiste asked the then Garda Commissioner to undertake an analysis to identify locations for a pilot scheme of reopening stations. This was to have regard to population, criminal trends and the availability of stations for possible reuse. The acting Commissioner informed the Committee of Public Accounts in 2017 that input of local Garda management was of key importance. On 18 December 2017, the Government noted the Garda Commissioner's final report on the pilot project to reopen six Garda stations. This recommended the reopening of stations in Ballinspittle in County Cork, Bawnboy in County Cavan, Stepaside in Rush, County Dublin as well as stations in counties Carlow and Wicklow. The Commissioner has written to the Office of Public Works to progress the matter.

There was a process in which we asked Garda management and the Commissioner's office to identify areas where the possible reopening of Garda stations would be good for policing and security in those locations. One of those locations was Stepaside and we are progressing that accordingly.

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