Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is critically important to reassure people about the new policing arrangements that will kick in for many communities this weekend. In recent weeks, gardaí have done a wonderful job in areas where Garda stations are going to close. They have gone out into those communities and reassured people that they will have a modern well-equipped and well-resourced police service. We have 13,500 gardaí and 1,000 members in the reserve force, as well as over 1,030 community policing personnel throughout the country. The Garda Commissioner has indicated that he is committed to providing a smarter policing service using modern technology, including IT, communication and surveillance systems.

While Garda station closures constitute an emotive issue, the reality is that 98% of those stations were only open part-time, while 94% of them were open for less than three hours per day. I am fully convinced that gardaí out patrolling in the community and talking to local people will be much more effective than having gardaí stationed for three hours in a building, not meeting very many people.

I welcome the Minister's recent commitment to invest ¤5 million for the provision of Garda vehicles. One cannot provide a service without the necessary patrol cars. I am unhappy about one aspect, however. For example, my own parish of New Inn will now be provided with a service from Kilrickle but there is no Garda car there. I hope those areas will be the first to be given a vehicle within the coming weeks from the investment of ¤5 million. I will be holding the Minister to account on that issue. As public representatives we must all ensure that those whom we represent have a policing service that is well resourced, along the lines we have been promised both by the Garda Commissioner and the Minister.