Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 87: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his vision for the future of rural Garda stations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21151/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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There are a total of 703 Garda stations throughout the country ranging from large 24-hour divisional and district HQ stations to smaller rural stations. This wide geographical spread of Garda stations is a valuable resource for local communities even in cases where small stations are open to the public for only a number of hours per week. They provide an important link between the gardaí and the public they serve. I know in this context that the question of opening hours is often and perfectly reasonably raised but a point to bear in mind is that an increase in the opening hours of any Garda station or the opening of additional stations necessitates the deployment of additional Garda personnel on indoor administrative duties who could be deployed, in many cases more effectively, on outdoor policing duties.

Rural policing and engagement with the rural community are key priorities of the Garda Síochána and this objective goes much wider than the physical presence of stations, important though that is. The current establishment of joint policing committees will provide a forum for discussion of local policing issues in each local authority area and will further enhance the relationship between the Garda Siochána, local communities and their public representatives.

Returning to the question of Garda stations, a total of €260 million is assigned for stations and other Garda accommodation under the current national development plan. In addition, a budget of €9.5 million is available this year alone for the maintenance of Garda premises. This has enabled a significant ongoing programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda stations and other Garda accommodation around the country.

I should also say that a high-level strategic Garda accommodation board with members drawn from the Garda Síochána, the OPW and my Department has been established to carry out a review of Garda accommodation and, in particular, to prepare a short-term and longer-term strategy for all accommodation. The board is also considering how best to progress the rural Garda station replacement programme. The aim of this programme is to replace older and outdated stations that are expensive to maintain with smaller and more efficient stations to meet modern policing needs. Of course, ultimately the allocation of Garda resources, including accommodation, is a matter for the Garda Commissioner to decide in accordance with the operational requirements of the force and I look forward to the report from the Commissioner on the board's deliberations later this year.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. Will he meet with the Garda Commissioner at an early date to initiate a review on the matter of rural policing? How many Garda stations have closed and ceased operating since his party came to power in 1997? How many Garda stations are now operating on short time?

In the late 1990s, his Government initiated the "green man" scheme where the operation of some rural Garda stations was put under the auspices of a machine. Has any benefit analysis been done as to the efficiencies, drawbacks and difficulties attached to the green man system?

The population change and social mobility of the past number of years have given rise to a situation where there is a need to review the Garda stations. Does the Minister accept that the vast rural area of the Beara peninsula has no Garda station and has one garda covering an entire expansive area? What does the Minister propose to do in this regard? Does he accept there is a need to rebalance the location of Garda stations in accordance with the growth of population and population structures and that a review is needed at a root and branch level at this stage?

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The gardaí are currently reviewing this situation and a number of changes are pending in respect of the divisional boundaries as they impact on rural policing. I have met the Garda Commissioner quite a number of times since I became Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform a few weeks ago. One of the issues that arose concerned rural policing, which is a key priority for the Garda plan.

The Deputy criticised my party but when his party was last in power, not one extra garda set foot in rural Ireland. To my knowledge, there are no proposals in respect of the opening or closing of Garda stations other than one planned merger of stations in Cork city which is proposed under the policing plan, although it is an issue for the Garda Commissioner in the context of the annual policing plan which he is required to bring forward under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 and lay before the House. Obviously, the planned merger is to be proposed by the Commissioner.

It is planned to build approximately 80 rural Garda stations to replace existing older stations to change some of the old accommodation in which gardaí must survive. New stations are being built in Ballymun, Trim, Claremorris, Leixlip, Irishtown and Finglas. The new station in Kevin Street in Dublin will the largest station ever built in the State. There will be work on stations in Ballingarry in County Tipperary, Urlingford in County Kilkenny, Donard in County Wicklow, Carberry in County Kildare and a new station in Oranmore in County Galway. The Garda Vote for maintenance is €9.521 million for 2008, which is an increase of more than €1.2 million on last year's budget provision.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I welcome——

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Time has elapsed.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I welcome what the Minister has said in respect of the building programme. In the specific context of the reordering of the Garda divisions along county boundaries, that will give rise to a situation where specific Garda stations in parts of the country where the jurisdictional changes will impact will require specific targeted upgrading, which is not included on the list as mentioned by the Minister. This issue must be looked at as a matter of some urgency in the context of the divisional changes.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I agree with that.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Are there any other questions?

Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Deputy Dermot Ahern is the new Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. What we need is a change in direction. I compliment the work of community gardaí and can see their work on the ground. Surely it is time to progress that and open up and re-establish more rural Garda stations, in growth centres and larger areas of population, if needs be. Surely there are premises available that the Garda Síochána can work out of and provide a service to the public.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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It has been the policy of the Government in recent years to close down rural Garda stations. If one looks at rural crime, one sees that older people have been particular targets in recent years. In my county of Wexford, which was under the Wexford-Wicklow division but has been brought back——

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Please, Deputy.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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We have a Garda station in my constituency which has no patrol car. The garda there must patrol the area in his own car. I do not think that any other Government or State would consider that to be appropriate. It is unbelievable that a garda must patrol an area in his own car. I have raised this issue in the House on numerous occasions but the situation has not changed.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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We have exceeded the time allowed for supplementary questions.

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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In the context of Deputy Flanagan's question, I would expect that the Garda Síochána, when considering changes to divisional boundaries, would bear in mind the necessity to review the issue of the refurbishment of existing Garda stations.

On the general issue of policing, particularly rural policing, it is not just a matter of building more Garda stations. Under the policing plan prepared by the Garda Síochána, focus has been placed on intelligence gathering in the context of the targeting of elderly people by criminal gangs and that has been reasonably successful. Indeed, a major criminal gang from the south of the country, which targeted elderly people in the Cork and Limerick areas, has been broken up and is currently before the courts. Good Garda intelligence on the ground dealing with the situation is important, as is ensuring that Garda accommodation is as required.

On the green man issue, I suggest the Deputy tables a separate question on the efficacy of that project.