Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

First, I am very happy to welcome our new colleague, Deputy Bacik. She will make a positive contribution and I wish her well.

I have raised the following issue with the Taoiseach several times. The only reason I am raising it again is because it is an urgent matter and right decisions can still be taken. I speak of the need for a new Garda station in Sligo. To be clear, I am not asking the Taoiseach to intervene in an operational decision taken by the Garda Commissioner to restructure divisions as part of the new operating model. However, as soon as the Commissioner took that decision, the plans to build a new Garda station in Sligo were scrapped. This is despite the fact that before Christmas 2019, the Office of Public Works, OPW, deemed Sligo Garda station unfit for purpose. The restructuring of the Garda divisions meant approximately ten staff would move from Sligo but the new operating model means additional staff are coming to Sligo. In a recent response, the Taoiseach told me 20 new staff were coming there and consequently, there will be more staff under the current regime than under the old one.

The station is unfit for purpose. It was built in the 1840s and while some refurbishment has taken place, the building is still totally inadequate. It is too small; it is a warren of rooms and stairs with small poky offices and Portakabins out the back. The footprint of the building is just too small. The facilities within the rooms are simply not fit for purpose. I visited two weeks ago with my colleague, Councillor Marie Casserly, and it is not an exaggeration to say I was shocked. For example, the scenes of crime unit, where the equipment necessary to solve crimes is housed and the personnel are based, is beyond belief. I do not know how anyone works in it, let alone solves crimes. In addition, members of the Garda in Sligo have submitted a brief for the refurbishment of the station and 40% of their requirements are not being met. There is a long list. A new site was purchased and plans were drawn up. Sligo was part of a public private partnership, PPP, with Macroom and Clonmel but it has now been dropped and the money has gone elsewhere. The decision not to proceed with a Garda station in Sligo was not operational but financial. I ask the Taoiseach to look at that again.

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