Vol. 446 No. 3
56 Mr. Harte asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to a recent debate in the Donegal County Council centred on the need to have Garda stations in Donegal opened on a full time basis and a general need for increased numbers of gardaí in the entire county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1779/94]
I am informed by the Garda authorities that there are 45 Garda stations in the Donegal Division. Ten of these stations are open on a 24-hour basis, while the remaining 35 stations have limited opening hours. When these stations are unmanned, callers to the stations can make direct and immediate contact with a garda on duty at the district headquarters by using the direct communications link — Green Man — which is available at each station. The gardaí at the district headquarters can then arrange for the nearest garda or mobile patrol unit to come to their assistance.
The Garda authorities continually review the policing needs of each individual area, with a view to providing the best possible policing service to the public. One important factor, which has to be taken into consideration in these reviews, is that an increase in the opening hours of stations would necessarily result in withdrawing gardaí from outdoor operational duties and would reduce the number of gardaí available for crime prevention, crime detection and patrolling duties in the community. The current Garda strength in the Donegal Division is 480.
