Ruairí Quinn
Question:104 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the plans, if any, there are to close down Garda stations in the Dublin area at night. [21254/97]
Written Answers. - Garda Stations.
Question:
414 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the plans, if any, there are to close down Garda stations at night in the Dublin area. [21545/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 414 together.
I have not received any proposals to close Garda stations in the Dublin area at night and I have no such plans.
During the life of the previous Government an Inter-Departmental Group on Garda deployment was established involving the Department of Finance, the Department of Justice and the Garda Síochána. That inter-departmental group addressed a number of issues including the question of rationalisation of station opening hours. However the work of that group was in effect overtaken by the SMI process.
The report of the SMI steering group on the efficiency and effectiveness of the Garda Síochána published last week recommends,inter alia, a “bottom-up”review of the force to determine the optimum resources required for effective and efficient policing of the State. The report envisages the operational element of this review focusing on the achievement of an optimum match between the availability of gardaí and the demand for policing services and on structures which achieve this objective efficiently and effectively. It recommends that this “bottom-up” review should develop detailed proposals in relation to particular issues with resource implications, including the demand for policing services throughout the country and the opening hours of stations. The steering group further stated that the recommendations of the inter-departmental group on Garda deployment, whose work it subsumed into its own, in relation to stations in the Dublin Metropolitan Area should be used to arrive at early conclusions, inter alia, on the optimum number of stations required for 24-hour service and the appropriate opening hours of remaining stations.
In line with its recommendations concerning control and accountability, the respective responsibilities of the Garda Commissioner and the Minister for Justice and the future preparation of long-term strategic and annual policing plans, the steering group was clearly of the view that any proposals concerning alteration of the opening hours of Garda stations should be included in the Commissioner's annual policing plan submitted to the Minister.
Ulick Burke
Question:106 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the plans, if any, he has to upgrade and extend a Garda station (details supplied) in County Galway in order to provide reasonable working conditions and up to date equipment for the station and its members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21009/97]
It is proposed to carry out a major refurbishment of this Garda station. I understand that the Office of Public Works are preparing tender documents for the project at the moment. It is expected that a contract will be placed early next year.