Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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113. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans for the reinstatement of Gorey Garda station, County Wexford, to full district status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2867/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is primarily responsible for decisions in relation to the distribution of Garda resources and I, as Minister, have no direct role in these matters.

The Deputy will be aware that the Garda District and Station Rationalisation Programme, which was implemented in An Garda Síochána during 2012 and 2013, sought to identify opportunities to introduce strategic reforms to enhance service delivery, increase efficiency and streamline practices within An Garda Síochána. The review concluded that a revised district and station network commensurate with the organisation's resource base would best meet public demand. On foot of the Programme, some 139 Garda stations were closed and some 32 districts were amalgamated to create 16 enlarged districts.

As part of this process, in November 2013, the Gorey District was amalgamated with the Enniscorthy District resulting in an enlarged Enniscorthy District and I am informed that no station within the former Gorey District was closed. I have been advised by the Garda authorities that the District Officer at Enniscorthy, in conjunction with the Inspector at Gorey, ensure that the policing arrangements within the Gorey area are effectively managed on an ongoing basis and there is no diminution in the policing service provided within the context of existing available resources in the Gorey area.

Local Garda Management also continues to closely monitor the allocation of resources to ensure that optimum use is made of Garda resources and the best possible policing service continues to be provided to the public and this situation will be kept under review.

The Programme for a Partnership Government recognises that community policing is the embodiment of An Garda Síochána, providing a means of recognising that every community, both urban and rural, has its own concerns and expectations. It commits the Government to ensuring visible, effective and responsive policing in every community, including the most minimal response times possible. In support of this, the Policing Authority has been asked to oversee a review of, among other things, the dispersement of Garda stations in rural areas, and in developing urban and suburban areas, with a view to ensuring both an efficient and optimum geographical distribution of stations and minimal response times, including taking account of station closures since 2012.

While I welcome the beneficial outcomes that have accrued to An Garda Síochána arising from the District and Station Rationalisation Programme, the Programme for Government recognises that there is a need for a review along the lines that I have outlined above.