Seanad debates
Wednesday, 22 March 2017
Commencement Matters
Garda Stations
10:30 am
Lorraine Clifford Lee (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House today to discuss this very important issue with regard to the reopening of Garda stations. I particularly want to raise with her the issue of Rush Garda station, which is located in north County Dublin. Rush Garda station closed down in 2012 under the last Government. I call on the Minster of State to strongly consider Rush for inclusion in the pilot scheme to reopen six Garda stations, which is imminent.
The closure has left a serious void in the policing of north County Dublin. When it was closed in 2012, we were reassured that a 24-hour service would be provided in the nearby Lusk Garda station, but this never occurred. In fact, the hours in Lusk Garda station have since been reduced. As I said, this has left a very big void in the policing of north County Dublin. Fingal is the fastest-growing county in Ireland. The population of Rush itself is 10,000 and Lusk has almost 10,000. We are being policed from Balbriggan Garda station, which is the nearest 24-hour Garda station. That is over 14 km from Rush and has a population itself of 26,000. That station is seriously overstretched and it is not able to provide an adequate service to the people in Rush in particular, as well as in nearby Lusk.
Unfortunately, we have seen an escalation in both violent and serious crime in north County Dublin as well as anti-social behaviour, particularly in or around the Rush area. I believe there is a strong correlation between the lack of a Garda service in the town and this increase in crime. I come from a Garda family myself. I am very well aware of the vital service community gardaí provide to the community and the impact that visibility of gardaí on the streets of a town can have on the level of both serious crime and anti-social behaviour in the area.
As per the programme for Government, there is a commitment to review the Garda station closures, which occurred during the lifetime of the last Government. More than 100 Garda stations were closed nationwide. This review is currently being undertaken and is due to report in May. As I mentioned, there was a commitment in the programme for Government that six Garda stations would be opened on a pilot scheme basis. Recent media reports have suggested that the Minister, Deputy Shane Ross, has already secured the reopening of the Stepaside Garda station, which is in his own constituency. According to media reports, he is so confident of this that he already has newsletters ready to be distributed around the constituency.
I know that the Minister of State is not the direct line Minister of State but I appeal to her to pass on the message to the Minister for Justice and Equality to include Rush in this pilot scheme. We do not have a senior Cabinet Minister or any Minister in north County Dublin. I feel therefore that we are going to get left behind and that south County Dublin will benefit because it has a Minister. I appeal to the Minister of State on the basis that Rush is a large and growing urban area with a surrounding rural hinterland. As I said, it is among the fastest-growing areas within the fastest growing constituency and county in Ireland. Therefore, we really need the reopening of Rush Garda station. I appeal to the Minister of State to consider Rush Garda station in the pilot scheme.
Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Clifford-Lee for raising this commencement matter. The Tánaiste unfortunately cannot be here and asked me to reply to the Senator.
The Senator will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is primarily responsible for the effective and efficient use of the resources available to her, including with regard to Garda stations. As the Senator will be aware, the Garda Síochána district and station rationalisation programme gave rise to the closure of some 139 Garda stations, including Rush Garda station, in 2012 and 2013, following the completion by An Garda Síochána of a comprehensive review of its district and station network. The review was undertaken with the objective of identifying opportunities to introduce strategic reforms to enhance service delivery, increase effectiveness and streamline practices within the organisation. The Tánaiste has been informed by the Garda authorities that the closures have allowed front-line gardaí to be managed and deployed with greater mobility, greater flexibility and in a more focused fashion, particularly with regard to targeted police operations.
The programme for Government commits the Government to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and to deter crime. A cornerstone of this commitment is the Government plan to achieve an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians.
Revisiting the decisions made to close Garda stations at the depths of the recession is also part of the commitment. In this context, the Tánaiste has requested the Garda Commissioner, while fully cognisant of her statutory functions, to identify six stations for reopening on a pilot basis to determine possible positive impacts that such openings will have on criminal activity, with special emphasis on burglaries, theft and public order. The pilot will feed into the wider review being undertaken by the Garda Siochána inspectorate at the request of the Policing Authority of the use of resources available to An Garda Síochána in the delivery of policing services to local communities. I understand that work is continuing in An Garda Síochána to identify the six stations for inclusion in the pilot and that consultations have taken place with relevant stakeholders, including the Policing Authority.In this context, I am sure the Senator would agree that a comprehensive and evidence-based analysis should be carried out taking account of all the relevant factors before a final decision is made in respect of the stations to be reopened by the Commissioner. I also understand that the Tánaiste expects to receive a report from the Commissioner by the end of May in connection with the exercise.
Lorraine Clifford Lee (Fianna Fail)
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The redeployment of Garda resources is not being felt in the community. I can give the Minister of State some real examples at a later stage. It is really not being felt on the ground and the people of Rush have really felt the impact of not having a Garda station, even as a place to go to get their passport form signed or to get Garda vetting. Not having a Garda station is very difficult for a community of 10,000 people. The Minister of State referred to the increase in Garda numbers. Garda numbers have dropped in the division that covers the area in question. Fingal is the fastest growing county in Ireland and it is unacceptable that it is seeing a drop in Garda numbers.
I understand that the report is being compiled by the Commissioner. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has secured the re-opening of Stepaside Garda station and it is a bit unbelievable for everybody else to believe that this is totally independent of Government. I do not mean to labour the point but we do not have a Minister in north county Dublin and we urgently need the re-opening of Rush Garda station. I appeal to the Minister of State to include it in the pilot scheme.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator made a very strong case. Does the Minister of State have anything she wishes to add?
Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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If the Senator wants to send me information relating to a Garda presence and the redeployment of gardaí in the area to me, I will certainly raise it with the Tánaiste. I cannot comment on other Ministers having decided that Garda stations will be in the area because I am not assured of that.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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The Minister of State is wise on that.
Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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It probably will but I cannot comment on that. I believe the Senator has raised a very significant point. I have taken details of the points she raised and will bring them back to the Tánaiste. If the Senator sends me some of the data relating to crime, I will give them to the Tánaiste.