Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The need for a new Garda station in Macroom has been well established for a number of years. There was a threat to walk out of the station in 2010, health and safety reports were critical of the building and it has been on the Government's building programme for many years. In 2014, Government representatives were even promising that the station would not be allowed to slip behind. While the station in Macroom is on the building programme, no advance has been made since the land purchase concluded nearly four years ago. That is because Macroom has been bundled in with Clonmel and Sligo and it has had to wait for them to catch up. The Office of Public Works, OPW, confirmed earlier this year that those land purchases were concluded for the last of those stations. There is no reason now for any further delay.

The building is an old Royal Irish Constabulary barracks and it is showing its age. Reports have indicated the difficulty people have working there and it is also unsatisfactory for the public going in to use the station. It is very limited from the point of view of privacy, for example, if someone is going in to report an incident or getting documentation signed. Imagine as well someone trying to bring a buggy in. The space is limited and tight, especially if anybody else is in the reception area. Locals should have access to a station that is up to standard and they also want to know that their gardaí have the best resources available to them.

I have highlighted this situation with various Ministers and in parliamentary questions in recent years. The Cork county joint policing committee has also highlighted the need to advance Macroom's new Garda divisional headquarters but it feels there is constant fobbing off. The new station is in a bundle with Clonmel and Sligo and those land purchases needed to be concluded. As stated, however, the OPW has confirmed that those land purchases concluded in the spring of this year so that should not be a reason for any further delay.

The new site in Macroom also accommodates a fire station, and the county council has been trying to get information on the shared entrance. That has caused a delay on advancing the fire station as well. As I said, the new reorganisation of Garda divisions has identified Macroom as the new divisional headquarters. This should surely increase the status of the station and add greater urgency to the new build. I commend the staff working there who are delivering a top-class service from what is an unsuitable and cramped building.

The building is not, however, the only challenge. I draw the Minister's attention to the number of gardaí stationed in the town.

Many people are concerned that the station is understaffed. The Garda Representative Association has been vocal on the matter, pointing out how it is not unusual for the station to be closed in order to deploy a two-person car to adequately respond to calls. There have been eight retirements from the west Cork Garda division in the past year but no new gardaí were assigned in the two most recent recruitment drives. While there are demands from many quarters for additional gardaí, Macroom and the west Cork division need particular attention.

The Macroom station project is bundled with those relating to Sligo and Clonmel. This has caused delays, even though a site in Macroom has been available for the past five years. The National Development Finance Agency, NDFA, has been examining the public private partnership, PPP, option for funding for over a year at this point. It needs direction from the Department of Justice and Equality to prioritise the projects it wants to advance. Has the Department identified the priority projects? Has the bundle of which Macroom is a part been identified as a priority? There has been a site available in Macroom for over four years. There has already been a considerable delay and it is now time for this project to be progressed.

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Aindrias Moynihan for raising this matter. I am aware of the Deputy's consistent interest in the provision of a new Garda station in Macroom. I appreciate the reason he has raised the matter again today.

The OPW has responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. As a result, all works to the Garda estate involve close co-operation between the OPW and the Garda authorities. We all want fit-for-purpose facilities for Garda members and staff, as well as for the members of the public interacting with them. It is precisely for this reason that significant investment is being made by the Government in the Garda estate. The scale of what is involved in this task should not be underestimated. There are over 560 Garda stations across the country. A significant number of these are old buildings. Good progress is being made in addressing issues in the Garda estate, as well as expanding it to cater for the ongoing growth in Garda members and staff. This is being made possible through the Garda building and refurbishment programme for the period 2016 to 2021. In addition to that ambitious programme, other major works now ongoing to the Garda estate include the development of a new facility at Military Road, Dublin, the major refurbishment of Fitzgibbon Street station, Dublin, the pilot Garda station reopening project and the construction of the new Garda station at Macroom.

The construction of the new Garda station at Macroom is to proceed on the basis of a major PPP project which was decided to be formed as a bundle also including construction of new Garda Stations in Clonmel and Sligo. I accept the process has been more protracted than any of us would have wished. As the Deputy will recall, there were difficulties in acquisition of the sites for development of some of these stations. Those difficulties have been resolved. Since then, all relevant stakeholders have been engaging together in an attempt to progress the matter as quickly as possible. I do not have any details on the fire station but I would be happy if the Deputy gave me a separate note on that. I would not like to see any other extraneous issues coming in at this stage to impact on the progress for the Garda station. I acknowledge the work of An Garda Síochána, the OPW, my Department and the NDFA, the procuring authority for PPPs.

The is a complex process but it is vital to get the projects right at the planning and design stage. This has taken some time. This work is important. Macroom has been chosen by An Garda Síochána to be the new divisional headquarters for Cork county under the new model. Clearly, the design and construction of the station will have to allow for a station of sufficient size and facilities to serve that purpose. This work is being progressed as a priority by all concerned. I understand the level of frustration the Deputy feels. I want matters to proceed as quickly as possible. We must allow the experts, in particular in the OPW and the NDFA, to progress this properly and in such a way that the station that is built at the end of the process is one which delivers good value for public money, is fit-for-purpose for gardaí, Garda staff and the public interacting with them. Every effort is being made to progress this issue, working to improve conditions and facilities at the station.

I am happy to engage further with the Deputy on this matter when we resume after the Christmas break.

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as an tuarascáil mar gheall ar stáisiún Gardaí Maigh Chromtha.

As the Minister indicated, this station will be the new divisional headquarters in Cork county. That should add further energy to advancing the project. The OPW has a central role in advancing the new station and the bundle. However, the NDFA will be looking for direction from the Department of Justice and Equality. It is important it is clarified with the NDFA that this station is a priority project and there should not be delays with it.

The Minister pointed to the idea of value for money from bundling stations. However, construction costs have increased in the past several years but Macroom has been effectively parked up for the past four years. This means that the opportunity of getting better value for money is actually slipping away.

I am also conscious that the Anglesea Street Garda station in Cork is also being advanced. Will he clarify if that will have any impact on either moving forward or delaying the Macroom Garda station bundle? Macroom has been ready with a site for over four years. It already has had a building that is unsuitable and the staff based there continue to endure it. Will the Minister agree it is time to move this project along?

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I cannot disagree with the Deputy. In fact, a week does not go by without this issue being raised directly with me by my colleague beside me, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed.

We are in a period of major reform of our policing services. The implementation of the new policing plan is exciting. It will transform An Garda Síochána. We have the budget to ensure that this can be the case. I am fully committed to proceeding with the major investment programme to deliver new stations and modernise older stations. One of these is Macroom. It is included as a Garda priority in the building and refurbishment programme. If the Deputy wishes that I would decouple Macroom from the bundle, I regret that it may well be unhelpful in the delivery of the project.

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I did not ask for that.

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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Every effort has been made with the appropriate agencies involved. I met them during the year. There has been a resolution of some legal and conveyancing issues which were giving rise to a delay.

I will meet the entire team early in the new year. In the interim, I understand that the Office of Public Works and Garda management are taking steps to improve conditions and facilities in Macroom station and I would be happy to engage further in the new year.

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I am not asking for Macroom to be decoupled.

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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That is fine.