Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Ó Cuív's opinion is never humble. I very much value his experience of many years representing the people of the west and the particular area to which this debate refers. I have listened very closely to what he said.

I reject the Deputy's assertion that this is part of a grand plan to remove services from rural Ireland. My Government colleagues and I are committed to ensuring that the Garda Commissioner has the resources to deliver an effective and modern policing service to all communities throughout the country, including Connemara and the Gaeltacht area. Over the last few years, unprecedented resources have been made available to the Garda Commissioner to implement the Garda modernisation and renewal plan. I acknowledge the leadership of the former Acting Commissioner, Mr. Donall Ó Cualaín, a constituent of Deputy Ó Cuív, until he gave way to the recently appointed Garda Commissioner, Mr. Drew Harris. Resources are now coming on stream across all Garda divisions, including the Galway division, to ensure availability and visibility of gardaí.

I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that since the reopening of the Garda Training College in September 2014, almost 2,200 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and been assigned to mainstream duties across the country, with 31 assigned to the Galway division. In July of this year, I had the pleasure of attending the official opening of the western regional Garda headquarters in Murrough, Galway. I invite Deputy Ó Cuív to agree with me that the new regional headquarters will become a vital part of the infrastructure of the Galway area. It will also support the delivery of an effective policing service to communities across the Galway division and the Clifden district.

I do not have time to repeat the points I made about the Irish language but I would be happy to provide Deputy Ó Cuív with further information on the Irish language in An Garda Síochána. On the need for gardaí in Gaeltacht areas to be able to conduct their business through the medium of the Irish language, owing to time constraints I will take up that matter privately with the Deputy.

See this speech in context