asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline the improvements or proposed improvements to Garda stations throughout the country, at present in train or proposed; his views on whether many of the stations are in extremely bad condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Garda Building Programme.
35.
Under the Garda Building Programme, a total of 37 new stations have been completed and occupied, including new divisional headquarters at Tralee, Galway and Monaghan and new district headquarters at Tallaght, Caherciveen, Nenagh, Belmullet, Carrickmacross, Killarney and Dungarvan and a major extension to Sligo divisional headquarters. Work is also nearing completion on the new district headquarters at Roxboro in Limerick. Work is either in progress or about to commence on new stations of divisional or district headquarters status at Ennis, Naas, Tuam, Ashbourne, Lucan and Tramore. Tender documents for the new divisional headquarters at Letterkenny which were issued to selected contractors are due in the next few weeks. Other large stations for which tenders will be invited in the near future include Mullingar, Shankill, Tipperary, Watercourse Road in Cork city and — the largest project yet undertaken under the programme — the new divisional headquarters at Anglesea Street, Cork, to replace Union Quay station. Large stations at the planning stage include Drogheda, Bandon, Shannon, Kells, Balbriggan, Togher (Cork) and Carlow.
By the end of 1988, the emphasis on the programme will switch to the smaller rural stations and because of the lower costs involved this will result in a greater number of new stations being provided. At the same time, a continual programme of improvement works is being carried out or is planned for a very large number of Garda stations which were not considered to need replacement. However, to compile the information about these stations in the form requested by the Deputy would involve an inordinate amount of staff time which could not be justified at present.