Dáil debates

Wednesday, 28 September 2016

Topical Issue Debate

Garda Accommodation

3:40 pm

Photo of Tony McLoughlinTony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State. This is a very important issue for the people of Sligo, the gardaí who work in this station day and night and me, as a public representative who was elected to represent my constituency. This issue is so serious that I felt I must raise it at the highest level in order to try to seek urgent action so that the situation in Sligo can be alleviated. On this basis, I ask the Minister of State to advise me on the plans, if any, the Garda has in place to address the current unsafe and outdated working environment in the Sligo-Leitrim Garda regional headquarters in Sligo town.

I express to the Minister of State my fears and concerns about the serious health and safety failures in the building and highlight the urgent need to address them. Last month he will have received from me a copy of a report produced by consulting engineers Michael Reilly and Associates which had been commissioned by the Garda Representative Association, GRA, earlier this year to evaluate the overall health and safety problems at the Garda station. Quite simply, the findings made in the report are shocking and raise several issues of serious concern which must and can be addressed from today if there is the will to do so.

The Minister of State will be aware that the report identifies serious health and safety issues which include rodent infestation, ventilation problems, poor heating and dampness, limited and inadequate toilet and shower facilities, leaking toilets, failures in building compliance and fire safety, as well as in HSE health and safety procedures and requirements, hazardous safety issues, cramped public space, limited and outdated cell accommodation and inadequate canteen facilities, a lack of interviewing rooms, the fact that there are no garage facilities and poor office accommodation. The report states: "The existing faculty is far too small, outdated, not fit for purpose and constitutes a totally unacceptable hazard on a number of acute levels from a health and safety perspective alone". In reading the report it is clear to me that gardaí in Sligo are not being given the tools and resources required to do their job effectively. However, there is action which could be taken to help to alleviate the problems in the short term. The report identifies the moving of the regional office at the station and the assistant commissioner's office, which would give some relief and would in the short term address the current overcrowding problem in the regional office that occupies 30% of the facility. This action should be considered by the Minister of State, the OPW and the Garda as a matter of urgency.

3:50 pm

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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On behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality who, unfortunately, cannot be in the Chamber for this debate, I thank the Deputy for raising this very important matter. The Tánaiste is aware that a number of significant fire and health and safety issues have been identified in Sligo Garda station and believes the necessary remedial action should be taken without delay to rectify the situation. The Deputy will appreciate that the Office of Public Works has primary responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation and works closely with the Garda authorities in this regard. In that context, I understand the Garda authorities have made the Office of Public Works aware of the situation with a view to ensuring remedial action will be taken.

The Deputy will be aware of the significant efforts being made by the Government to enhance the working environment generally for members of An Garda Síochána and the major investment committed to under the capital plan for the period 2016 to 2021 to upgrade Garda premises, the Garda fleet and Garda ICT infrastructure. A Programme for a Partnership Government also commits the Government to increasing the strength of An Garda Síochána to ensure a strong and visible police presence in the community. In summary, the Government is committed to continuing the accelerated recruitment programme with a view to increasing Garda numbers to 15,000, doubling the Garda Reserve and increasing further civilianisation to free up more gardaí to focus on front-line policing services.

The programme also recognises that members of An Garda Síochána must have the modern technology and other resources, including fit-for-purpose buildings, necessary to do their job and notes that the capital plan for the period 2016 to 2021 secured resources in this regard. In October 2015 the Tánaiste announced, in conjunction with the Minister of State at the Office of Public Works, details of An Garda Síochána’s building and refurbishment programme for the period 2016 to 2021 which includes over €80 million of Exchequer funding as part of the Government’s capital plan for the period 2016 to 2021, as well as a major public private partnership project which will include the delivery of a new Garda station in Sligo. Unfortunately, as the Tánaiste recently advised the Deputy, negotiations on the acquisition by the Office of Public Works of a site originally identified for the purpose of providing the proposed new station in Sligo did not proceed to a successful conclusion and efforts will now be made to identify an alternative site for acquisition in order that the development can proceed.

The projects comprehended by the building and refurbishment programme are in addition to the major projects under way, including the three Garda divisional headquarters which are under construction in Galway, Wexford town and Kevin Street in Dublin, at a total cost of €100 million, and which are scheduled for completion in late 2017 and early 2018. This major investment underlines the Government’s commitment to the provision of a modern working environment for gardaí, as well as fit-for-purpose facilities for visitors, victims and suspects.

I now return to the situation in Sligo. In the short run the solution lies in addressing the particular issues that have arisen at the existing station and, in the long-run, the construction of a new state-of-the-art regional headquarters in Sligo. I assure the Deputy the Tánaiste will do everything in her power to support both An Garda Síochána and the Office of Public Works in delivering solutions to both issues.

Photo of Tony McLoughlinTony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his report. I have one or two questions to pose to him. Is he aware that gardaí in Sligo have given notice of their intention to vacate the dangerous building on 6 October? I have met the GRA and many gardaí who are operating from the station in Sligo on a daily basis and they have serious concerns. They have also notified what needs to be done in the short term. Perhaps the Minister of State might indicate the plans in place to relocate gardaí in Sligo to temporary accommodation until work on the new building is complete? I know that he has announced the provision of a new regional Garda station in Sligo. There are some hiccups, but this issue will have to be addressed by the Office of Public Works in the short term and in very quick time. It is vitally important that a site be identified for the regional headquarters of the Sligo-Leitrim division and that we move ahead with the development and building of this facility. I hope that in the short term I will other responses to allay my concerns. I am speaking on behalf of many of the gardaí who use the facility in Sligo. There are many other issues of which the Minister of State is well aware because I gave the Minister a copy of the report on Sligo Garda station and the divisional headquarters for Sligo-Leitrim on Pearse Road which was asked for by the GRA. It is important that this issue be addressed in the short term. In the context of the announcement made on the new development, perhaps the Minister of State might like to respond.

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I again thank the Deputy for raising this very important matter. The Tánaiste looks forward to the issues raised about the Garda station in Sligo being resolved as soon as possible by the Office of Public Works, in conjunction with Garda management. She also looks forward to the building of the new station in the town, construction of which should proceed at an early date. She will do everything in her power to support An Garda Síochána and the Office of Public Works in delivering solutions to both issues. The Government is fully committed to proceeding with its major investment programme that aims to provide new Garda stations and modernise older stations at key locations across the State, thus ensuring a safe, modern working environment for gardaí, as well as fit-for-purpose facilities for visitors, victims and suspects. This investment has been designed to ensure we will have a 21st century network of fit-for-purpose Garda stations which is critical in delivering an effective policing service and tackling crime. I will bring the Deputy's concerns to the attention of the Tánaiste this evening and relate to her what he has said.

Photo of Tony McLoughlinTony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I thank my colleagues for accommodating me.

Photo of Pat GallagherPat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy also accommodated the House in that we did not have Ministers present.