Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)

During a recent visit to Cork, the Fine Gael party leader and Tánaiste suggested that a Garda task force for Cork city would be a good idea. He made a number of announcements about it which were greeted with great fanfare but he did not give a specific date for when it would be established. There was neither a funding plan nor a full plan put in place. Meanwhile, Glanmire Garda station in a part of the constituency that I represent, on which over €2 million was spent on refurbishment, has two gardaí working in it and is not open to the public. Nobody can get a document stamped. There is no garda on duty who is available to members of the public. Ballincollig Garda station, which services over 20,000 residents in my constituency of Cork North-Central, is open for 15 hours per week on paper. However, the reality is that is it is only open for about two hours per week. Nobody can get access to the station. I am sick and tired of meeting gardaí on the ground who tell me they do not have people to answer the phones. I am sick and tired of meeting residents' groups in Cork who tell me they cannot understand why they cannot get through to a Garda station. The reality is that there is nobody there. Will the Minister make finance available to the Department of justice to properly fund gardaí in Cork so that people can feel safe in Cork city again?

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