Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the Minister of State coming to the House to take this matter. The area of Clongriffin and Belmayne is growing in size as is the population. Renewed plans are frequently put in place for the expansion of that entire community and a population of 50,000 is projected in the coming years. We are effectively talking about a population on the scale of a large town, if not a small city. A number of years ago I had a debate in this Chamber with the then Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Richard Bruton, about the need for a new secondary school in that area. At the time I was told by the Minister that it was not necessary and that the population did not warrant it. Within 18 months the Department had changed its mind, having looked at the population trends and the projected population, and granted the establishment of a new second level school in that area. Thankfully, Educate Together is to be awarded patronage and it is to open in September.

I make that point purely because we feel a Garda station would benefit policing, security and bring about a sense of community in that community. There is currently what we might call a Garda clinic which takes place in one of the rooms of the Junction Community Centre in Clongriffin. On a Saturday, gardaí sign forms, do basic Garda work and are available to assist the community. An Garda is doing the best it can with the resources it has to serve the community in whatever way it can. Clearly a Garda presence of that nature is seen to be needed in that area.

This area is growing in size. In the past politicians have been criticised for not engaging in forward planning. We build residential units but we do not build a community around those residential units to serve them. I am saying at this early stage that there is a need for a Garda station, just as I said two years ago that there was a need for a new second level school. The campaigners and I were proven to be correct on that and we managed to be successful in that endeavour. I know that Government policy has changed over the last number of years, moving away from stationary Garda stations and emphasising the transportation of gardaí in vehicles, on bikes and in cars. I appreciate that move. However, given the scale of this community, the size of the population and the number expected to move into that area, at the very least, a positive response from the Minister of State's Department on looking at establishing a Garda station in that area, one that can work with the new communities, give advice to planners on how best to construct new residential entities and with transport links, etc., would be of huge benefit to what I am sure he will accept is a large town, if not effectively a small city, being built on the outskirts of Dublin.