asked the Minister for Justice if he will consider increasing the Garda strength at Carbury, County Kildare to the original establishment of one sergeant and two gardaí.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Carbury (County Kildare) Garda Strength.
23.
The detailed deployment of members of the Force is a matter primarily for the Garda authorities. They have informed me that, having regard to overall resources and other demands on Garda services, they are not at present in a position to increase the current strength of one garda at Carbury. While, as stated in reply to previous questions, it is proposed to assign a sergeant to the centre as soon as circumstances permit, I am informed that it has not yet been possible to do so due to more urgent needs elsewhere. The service provided by the gardaí at Carbury continues to be supplemented by assistance from the district headquarters at Kildare, as and when required.
How many hours is the Garda station open at Carbury per day?
I do not have that information but I will get it for the Deputy.
As there is now less than one sergeant and two gardaí the Garda barracks cannot be opened for 24 hours a day. What are the arrangements when it is closed?
Assistance is given from the district headquarters at Kildare. The Deputy knows full well that to keep a Garda station open for 24 hours a day and have one man in the station would require five men to be stationed in Carbury just for the purpose of keeping the front door open. As of now there is only one man there. It is expected to have others there when the Commissioner is able to send them.
I am not saying the front door of the Garda station should be open 24 hours a day but there should be a presence there 24 hours a day.
A question, Deputy, please.
To have a presence there, as the Deputy suggests, whether in the station or outside it would require a total of five men to be stationed in Carbury to give that presence on a 24 hour a day basis.
Does the Minister not accept that after 10 or more years of trial and error it should now be proven to him that the running down of manpower in rural Garda stations has not worked and the sooner we get back to the practice of having more gardaí in rural areas the better?
There is no disagreement between us as regards the need for more gardaí. I am going as quickly as humanly possible to have more gardaí trained to take up Garda duties.