Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will instruct the Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan to meet with the local community in Stepaside, County Dublin, prior to the scheduled closure of the local Garda station. [11951/13]

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will suspend the closure of Stepaside Garda Station, County Dublin, until the Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan has met with local residents and taken consideration of their concerns. [11952/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 197 and 198 together.

The decision to close 100 Garda stations in 2013, including Stepaside Garda Station, was the result of a comprehensive operational assessment carried out by the Garda Commissioner over a 12 month period and contained in his Policing Plan 2013, which I laid before the House in December last. It is a matter for the Garda Commissioner to make a final decision on the date of closure of Stepaside Garda Station and I have no function in that regard. The objective of modernising and re-calibrating the Garda station network is to ensure that Garda resources are used in the best and most efficient way possible, in both rural and urban areas, to the benefit of all law-abiding people who reside in this State. The freeing up of Gardaí from desk duties in Stepaside and other Garda Stations will increase the number of Gardaí available for frontline policing to the benefit of all communities. Nationally, revised policing arrangements will result in an additional 61,000 operational policing hours in 2013.

The implementation of the reduction in the number of Garda stations and Districts will take place in full consultation with the local communities and staffing interests. Local Garda management have engaged and will continue to engage with communities through the Joint Policing Committees and other fora to advise them of the revised policing arrangements following the closure of any particular Garda station. The objective is to ensure that the best possible policing service is provided to the public at all times.

The Deputy will be aware that Stepaside is in the Blackrock District in the Dublin Metropolitan Eastern Division. Stepaside Garda Station is approximately 3 miles from Dundrum Garda Station. As of 31 January 2013, there are 35 members of An Garda Síochána assigned to the Stepaside Garda Station. The majority will be allocated to Dundrum Garda Station and some will be allocated to Blackrock Garda Station. The objective of modernising and re-calibrating the Garda station network is to ensure that Garda resources are used in the best and most efficient way possible, in both rural and urban areas, to the benefit of all law-abiding people who reside in this State. The freeing up of Gardaí from desk duties in Stepaside Garda Station will increase the number of Gardaí available for frontline policing to the benefit of the community there.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans for the 100 buildings currently used as Garda Stations which are due to be closed as a result of the Policing Plan for 2013. [11953/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Garda stations closed under the 2013 Garda Síochána Annual Policing Plan form part of the portfolio of State properties owned and maintained by the Office of Public Works. Minister Hayes, who has responsibility for the Office of Public Works, has indicated that, if an appropriate community management structure is put in place, closed stations could be used for local community purposes.