Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Minister for Justice, I thank Deputy Harkin for raising this issue in the House today. I am aware that the Deputy has also written to the Minister about this previously.

The Minister, Deputy McEntee, is committed, as is the entire Government, to building stronger, safer communities and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda Síochána across the country is central to this policy. As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is legally responsible for the management and administration of Garda business. The Minister for Justice has no role in these independent functions and she cannot direct the Commissioner regarding Garda resources, including the need for any new Garda stations.

Works on Garda accommodation are progressed by the Garda authorities working in close co-operation with the OPW. The determination of the need for the development of a new Garda station in any location is considered by the Garda Commissioner in the context of the overall accommodation requirements arising from the ongoing expansion of the Garda workforce and the availability of capital funding. That is not to say that our gardaí and the people of Sligo do not deserve a Garda station that recognises the significance of Sligo in terms of its population and the fact that it is a gateway for the northwest.

Deputy Harkin will know that An Garda Síochána has invested and continues to invest significant funding in refurbishing the current Garda station in Sligo and while the Minister is unable to intervene in these independent functions, she has made inquiries. She has been informed that An Garda Síochána is working on the strategic assessment and preliminary business case for a new divisional headquarters in Sligo, in line with the procedures in the infrastructure guidelines. The preliminary business case must then be assessed and approved in the context of the funding available for capital projects over the coming years.

As the Deputy may be aware, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, recently announced an additional €29 million for Garda capital buildings from 2024 to 2026. This brings the total funding for Garda capital buildings for those three years to over €179 million. The Minister also understands that Garda estates management met the chief superintendent in Sligo on 27 March and outlined the current situation. The accommodation needs of the division were also discussed at that meeting. The planned introduction of the new operating model in the Sligo division later this year will give rise to additional accommodation needs. Officials from Garda Síochána estates met the chief superintendent in Sligo yesterday, 16 April, to consider the requirements to accommodate the new operating model and will continue to work with the OPW on the works required. I hope that this update, received by the Minister from the Garda authorities, will be of assistance to Deputy Harkin.

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