Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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328. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to open a Garda station in the Cherrywood area of Dublin; and the details of those plans. [9608/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will appreciate that it is the Garda Commissioner who is primarily responsible for the effective and efficient use of the resources available to An Garda Síochána. This includes matters in relation to the opening and closing of Garda stations and, as Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.

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's final report, which was noted by Government on 19 December 2017, recommends that the following six stations be included in the pilot: Ballinspittle, Co. Cork, Bawnboy, Co.Cavan, Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow, Donard, Co. Wicklow, and Rush and Stepaside, Co. Dublin.

The Report also makes reference to the possibility of locating a Garda station at, for example, locations experiencing significant growth in population. In this regard, the Report references Cherrywood as one such area and I understand that An Garda Síochána is exploring the feasibility of such a proposition.