Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree with previous speakers. We all support people who need houses. We do not want people to be homeless. We are all fighting to make sure no one is homeless. There should not be anyone in such a position. Everyone deserves a home. I say "well done" to those who are protesting outside Leinster House today.

The Minister for Justice and Equality came to this House last week to discuss an issue with Garda overtime which has since been addressed and sorted. During the debate he said he has recruited 800 gardaí so far this year, but he did not give the names of the Garda stations to which they have been deployed. This is an important aspect of the matter, given that elderly people in my home county of Carlow are nervous because the evenings are dark. It is important to have a Garda presence in cities and rural towns and villages. The presence of gardaí inside and outside our towns makes people feel safe. Can we have clarification on the Garda stations to which the 800 recruits were deployed? The Government previously committed to the reopening of Leighlinbridge Garda station in County Carlow. We need to get clarification on that in the context of the cutbacks that are still having an effect. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, to address these issues when he comes to the House.