Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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289. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if further consideration will be given to the request of the local community to have a policing service restored (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50659/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is primarily responsible for the effective and efficient use of the resources available to An Garda Síochána, including the opening and closing of Garda stations. As Minister, I have no role in the matter.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for a Partnership Government commits to a pilot scheme to reopen 6 Garda stations, both urban and rural, to determine possible positive impacts that such openings will have on criminal activity, with special emphasis on burglaries, theft and public order. The Garda Commissioner has recently submitted his final report in relation to the pilot and the report contains a recommendation that Bawnboy Garda station be one of the six Garda stations to be included in the pilot.