Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the debate. Obviously the closure of rural Garda stations is a hotly contested and debated issue in County Kerry because so many areas are affected. They stations affected are Ballinskelligs, Valentia Island, Beaufort, Kilgarvan, Lauragh, Brosna, Abbeydorney, Camp and Fenit. While the Government side has articulated that there are nearby Garda stations and its masters of spin have spun the story that the stations can be served by driving a few minutes to other Garda stations, that is not the case. For example, Lauragh is 56 km and Kilgarvan is 32 km from the nearest 24-hour station. We all know that crime has increased, the number of burglaries has increased and the instances of thefts has soared in rural areas. People in Lauragh will not get a Garda response in reasonable time and only if a Garda car can be provided by the nearest station in Killarney. Rural areas like Lauragh will suffer.

The Government has berated the previous Government. We must remember that the Minister said that drug gangs and their leaders would drink a celebratory toast to thank the then Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Dermot Ahern, when previous cuts were made. We know that the troika did not demand the closure of rural Garda stations but asked for cuts and savings wherever the Government saw fit. Therefore, it was the Government that made the decision. When it comes to the safety of people living in rural areas, such as in Kerry, Garda stations are a significant symbol of the Government's presence and protect the citizen.