Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Like other Members, I wish our departing Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, and Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, all the best. In fact, the Minister, Deputy Noonan, was in the House on the last sitting day discussing the sale of AIB shares. Members who were present wished him the best. As Vice Chairman of the finance committee, I have encountered the Minister, Deputy Noonan, on a number of occasions in my short time as a Member of the House.I would like to pay tribute to him and to Enda Kenny, to recognise the long service they have given to the State and to wish them both all of the best on my own behalf and that of my party colleagues. Today is also the first sitting day in Seanad Éireann since the new leader of Fine Gael was elected on Friday, 2 June. I would like to wish Leo Varadkar all the best for his own sake, that of his party and indeed, of the country, because it is to everyone's benefit that he does well.

A number of Senators have already raised the matter of the reopening of Stepaside Garda station. It should be noted that the Dublin Rathdown constituency, where I live, only has a single operational Garda station. It is a three-seat constituency with 65,000 houses but there is only one Garda station. There are approximately 600 Garda stations in the country and 40 Dáil constituencies, giving an average of 15 stations per constituency. However, Dublin Rathdown, the former Dublin South constituency, has one single Garda station within its borders, albeit that some other Garda stations nearby cover parts of the constituency. I ask the Leader to obtain and then provide the details to this Chamber of exactly what we will be getting in Stepaside Garda station. Prior to its closure by the former Minister for Justice and Equality, former Deputy Alan Shatter, there were 34 full-time operational gardaí in Stepaside. A large extension was built onto Dundrum Garda station and all of the Stepaside gardaí were moved there. The station in Stepaside is very small and I would like to know exactly what we are getting back. Will it be a couple of hours per week from one or two gardaí, who will be stamping passport or driving licence applications or will it be a full-time, fully operational Garda station as it was before it was closed?

I know I am not supposed to raise more than one issue on the Order of Business but I ask that we would have a debate soon on the issue of school playing fields being sold off to pay debts owed to the State. In some instances, religious orders have been asked to sell land to pay debts to the State and that land is being lost to schools, which is very unfortunate. I will raise this matter again.