Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Feighan is present and correct. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, Deputy Jim Daly, to the House.

Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, to the House. I am very pleased he is here to discuss this very important issue. As the Minister of State will appreciate, there is a growing level of urgency in regard to the need to progress the project. Unfortunately, gardaí in Sligo expressed their deep concern in late 2017 when they staged a protest about the conditions in which they must work. The current building is more than 150 years old and there was no real surprise when an independent report raised fire safety issues along with health and safety concerns. The Minister, Deputy Charles Flanagan, is aware of this situation and is doing all he can to advance the matter. It must be remembered that there are a number of stakeholders involved in this intensive process.

The programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation nationally, including in Sligo, is being progressed by the Garda authorities, which work in close co-operation with the Office of Public Works, OPW. The Minister of State will be aware that a new site for the new Garda station in Sligo was acquired near Caltragh in May of last year. There is a clear commitment in place to build a new station with the OPW through a public private partnership development. The OPW confirmed last year that the development of the new station would be progressed under the auspices of the National Development Finance Agency.

I commend all gardaí in Sligo and throughout the State who are doing tremendous work every day on behalf of our communities. I also acknowledge the Government's commitment to investing and strengthening the force. Since the reopening in 2014 of the Garda College in Templemore 2,200 recruits have become members of An Garda Síochána. Garda numbers reached more than 14,000 at the end of 2018.

In light of all this I hope gardaí in Sligo get the modern Garda station they fully deserve in the near future. The Sligo Garda station is a Garda regional headquarters and it is imperative that the new building project starts to make strides shortly. As I said, there are a number of other Garda station projects planned in the State and each is worthy in its own right. The projects take time and it can be a complex process. Today, however, I am highlighting the need to progress the Sligo station project and to ensure that everything possible is being done to move it along.

I commend the work of my colleague, Deputy McLoughlin, who has highlighted this matter on many occasions. I thank the Minister of State for taking the time to discuss this important issue and I look forward to coming back here to hear about progress being reported.

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Feighan. On behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, who unfortunately cannot be here, I thank the Senator for raising this matter. As he will be aware, considerable investment is being made in the Garda estate to address its deficiencies and to provide fit-for-purpose facilities for Garda members and staff, as well as for the public interacting with them. This is a significant undertaking, as there are currently 565 stations nationwide. The Office of Public Works is responsible for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation and is working with Garda authorities to deliver on that investment.

The Minister is very familiar with the need for new facilities in Sligo and is keeping a close eye on progress. The Garda Síochána building and refurbishment programme for 2016-2021 is based on the agreed priorities of An Garda Síochána.It includes the development of a new Garda station in Sligo as part of a public-private partnership, PPP, bundle arrangement. Site acquisition for this bundle was complex and has taken longer than envisaged. However, the matter is now progressing to the next stage with the assistance of the NDFA. The Department of Justice and Equality and the Garda authorities are actively working with the OPW to progress this matter, with the input and assistance of the NDFA.

The establishment of PPP projects is complex and it is vital to get the details of the projects right at the planning and design stage. However, on behalf of the Minister, I can assure the Senator that delivery of the new Garda stations in Sligo and other locations through this PPP arrangement is being pursued as a priority. Pending delivery of the new stations, the Minister is informed that Garda management and the OPW has been working to improve conditions and facilities at the existing stations.

Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for the update. I am happy that things are moving in the right direction. I would like to get a specific timeframe for delivery of these stations. However, I understand that these are quite complex processes involving the OPW and PPP projects. The Minister of State referred to planning and design. I am very aware of this Garda station. I drive or walk by it virtually every day. I commend the gardaí in Sligo and the whole of the north west. They have a very difficult job. They have the support of politicians and the public. I met Commissioner Harris last Friday at Garda headquarters in the Phoenix Park regarding a different issue. It was a great honour for someone from middle Ireland who regards the Garda so highly to be there for the first time and to thank gardaí for the work they have been doing. I was at headquarters with a group from the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly for a briefing on illicit fuel smuggling. The Garda has our support and that of people across the country.

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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It is important that public representatives raise these issue and that we continue to prioritise them because sometimes they can take a bit longer to deal with than we would like. It is always helpful when representatives such as Senator Feighan keep a focus on them. When he raises an issue in the House, it reminds everybody involved to get the file out and ensure that matters are moving at the pace they should be and that everything which needs to be done in order to make progress is being done. On behalf of the Minister, I genuinely welcome the opportunity to clarify the matter for the Senator. Indeed, I appreciate it because of my own case. I have particular interest in that bundle as a result of the fact that it also pertains to Clonmel and Macroom. While I do not represent the area of Macroom, it is in the Garda district that I represent. The chief superintendent in west Cork, Con Cadogan, and the superintendent in Macroom, Joe Moore, are known to me very well and I have a lot of dealings with them. I have more than a passing interest in ensuring that this bundle progresses at pace. We would like to see pressure being kept up at all ends to ensure that it is progressed as quickly as possible.