Jimmy Harte (Labour)

I agree with Senators about the Garda stations; we should ask the Minister to come to the House to discuss this. There was an incident last night in the St. Johnston area of Donegal, near the border with Derry, in which a young guy was injured in a punishment shooting at his home. The issue is not whether the Garda stations should remain open; it is whether there should be more gardaí on the road and out around the place. I do not think that if the Garda station had been open in the St. Johnston-Carrigans area last night it would have made one bit of difference to the people who carried out this punishment shooting. The Minister should address the organisation of the Garda in the area. It would be more useful if Garda cars were employed along the Border area as a deterrent. I do not think it is any great advantage to have a garda in the station at 10 o'clock at night.

We must examine how the Garda stations have changed over the years. Garda stations in rural areas were used almost as drop-in centres, but now we have technology and we have drop-in centres in towns and villages everywhere, so the stations have become more of a base for gardaí to come into and leave again. It is not an issue that stations are closing; it is an issue that gardaí are not available to combat crime. Garda stations were used for everything; my own wife was born in one. I do not think that would happen again. Her father was not in for questioning; he was actually a garda. The stations used to have a family-oriented function, but now they have moved on. I agree with the sentiments of the Senators in opposition. The Minister must show criminals that there are more gardaí on the streets rather than more police stations. Gardaí on the streets in patrol cars and gathering intelligence act as a deterrent to criminals. I sympathise with the family in Donegal who had this foisted on them last night.