asked the Minister for Justice if he will take steps to ensure that Garda stations are more easily recognisable to tourists.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Garda Station Recognition.
12.
A review of the position in regard to signs at Garda stations is in progress but, in present circumstances, the expenditure of substantial sums of money on the provision of new signs would not be justified since, for one thing, there are more urgent demands on the resources available for Garda services.
The reason for this question is that a tourist who had a car breakdown was seeking a Garda station when he could not get into the nearby hotel. Does the Minister not consider it desirable in consultation, perhaps, with Bord Fáilte, the Department of Transport and Power and the Kilkenny Design Workshops, to have a common sign for all police stations in the country, so that if tourists or other people travelling around the country are in difficulty, the Garda station would be immediately and easily recognisable?
Garda stations have a distinctive Garda sign but it may be too discreet, and it is not lighted at nighttime. Last May I suggested that Kilkenny Design Workshops might be contacted with a view to getting their advice on a new design that would be suitable for day and night use. A discussion between the Office of Public Works and the workshops is in progress, but as I have indicated in my reply, I understand that the expenditure of substantial sums would be involved, in the region of £100,000 in replacing the signs. A separate matter the Deputy raised was that of finger posts directing strangers in a town to a Garda station if the station is not situated on a main thoroughfare. That would be a matter for Bord Fáilte.
The concern is about nighttime. In the daytime you could ask somebody.