Seanad Éireann debate -
Thursday, 22 Feb 1996

Vol. 146 No. 9

Adjournment Matters. - Blanchardstown Garda Station.

Mrs. McGennis

I thank the Minister of State for dealing with this matter. I am disappointed the Minister for Justice, Deputy Owen, is not present because I believe she would appreciate the urgency of the crisis facing people in the greater Blanchardstown area. She visited Hartstown almost one year ago to specifically address the problem of crime and vandalism in the Blanchardstown area and the urgent need to situate a Garda station there. In view of the fact that the Minister travelled to the area to give a commitment to the people on the Government's intention to provide a new Garda station, it is imperative that she either fulfils that commitment or answers the questions I intend to pose.

It will be no surprise to the Minister of State, as one of the public representatives for the constituency in question, that the Garda Síochána will be withdrawing from the local Garda station in a number of days. This will leave an area with a population of almost 60,000 people with no local Garda presence. That is an unprecedented action for the Garda Síochána to take. The gardaí have never before taken what might be described as such militant action. In another unprecedented action, of which the Minister of State is aware, the local gardaí invited all public representatives for the area to a meeting in the community centre to appraise us of the intolerable conditions under which they have to work. I have visited the station, as has the Minister of State, and have witnessed first hand the kind of conditions under which members of the Force are attempting to work.

I once had occasion to go the station to make a statement about an accident I witnessed but this was not possible because there was no private room available. This was difficult but not particularly alarming. Today, however, I spoke to a woman who had been the victim of domestic violence. She was obliged to make a statement in the hallway of Blanchardstown Garda station within sight and hearing of her neighbours. Such conditions could not be described as suitable for anybody in a distressed condition following an incident of domestic violence. No one should have to provide a statement under such conditions. The lack of space and privacy is having questionable effects on the gardaí and the community.

The station might have been adequate to serve the population of 1,000 in the village of Blanchardstown when originally built, but it is now dangerously unsuitable for the number of gardaí and members of the public who use it. The Minister of State also has responsibility in the Department of Health and I believe he will admit that the station would not pass health or safety inspections.

The people of Blanchardstown are suffering the effects of a most incoherent policy on crime. If the Minister thinks I am exaggerating I will quote from an article entitled "Gardaí foil scheme to ‘spring' prisoner" which recently appeared in the Evening Herald. The article states:

A plan by teenage villains to storm a Dublin detention centre and free a notorious offender was foiled by gardaí.

The article also revealed that the youth was sentenced to a four year term on 23 separate charges but, because there was no space available in Trinity House, he was sent home. He was later sent to Oberstown House. A Mazda 626 was then stolen from Castleknock and brought to Oberstown House in an attempt to free the youngster involved who lives in Mulhuddart. That is our policy on crime. I will not enter the party political arena——

Minister of State at the Department of Justice (Mr. Currie)

The Senator is coming dangerously close to doing so.

Mrs. McGennis

——but this is happening in our constituency. The article is factual.

Mr. Currie

It is not factual.

Mrs. McGennis

As far as I am aware it is factual.

Acting Chairman

I remind Members that a date must be provided when quoting from newspaper articles.

Mrs. McGennis

I believe the article is from today's Evening Herald. I will make it available to the House.

The case to which I referred is well known in the greater Blanchardstown area. There was no space available to detain the youth at Trinity House and his friends attempted to free him from Oberstown House. The people in the area are being left in an even more vulnerable situation because the gardaí are about to withdraw from the area.

At the meeting with the Garda Síochána in Blanchardstown before Christmas, the Minister of State stated that the Minister for Justice had given a commitment that a new Garda station for Blanchardstown would be situated on the Clonmel Enterprise site. The Minister of State accused me of being mischievous when I stated that there was a problem with that site. I believed there would be a problem in acquiring the site because it was part of the lands owned by Dublin Corporation and was part of the scheme for the transfer of assets and lands by the corporation to the new local authorities. At the meeting in question the Minister of State dismissed me as troublesome. To date, Dublin Corporation is unable to dispose of the site because it is in a legal limbo. I understand that the corporation and Fingal County Council, when it comes into its ownership, are willing to dispose of the site.

We are one week from losing the Garda presence in the greater Blanchardstown area. As of today, ownership of the site cannot be transferred. On the evening of the meeting I stated that there was a problem. My views were made light of by the Minister of State and the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Deputy Burton, who stated that there would be no difficulty whatsoever, that money would be provided in the budget, tender documents issued and the Office of Public Works would soon be on site. We are one week from D-Day and nothing has happened or can happen. I also raised the issue of the delay by the Minister for the Environment in either determining or varying the scheme in this regard.

On Thursday next there will be no gardaí based in Blanchardstown. I request the Minister of State and the Minister for Justice to take urgent action to acquire the Clonmel Enterprise site and invite tenders. If this is not done, the crime problem in the greater Blanchardstown area will be exacerbated and we will then be faced with an unenviable situation. No one wishes to be held responsible for an increase in the type of events that took place in the Blanchardstown area during and after the Christmas period.

Minister of State at the Department of Justice (Mr. Currie)

If I described the Senator's remarks at the meeting to which she referred as being mischievous, I will add to that by stating that her remarks today are alarmist and verge on the irresponsible. To state that the intention of the gardaí in Blanchardstown is to take action which will result in the people of the area not having access to a proper police service——

Mrs. McGennis

I did not say that.

Mr. Currie

The Senator did say it.

Mrs. McGennis

I referred to a local Garda presence.

Mr. Currie

The Senator stated that there will be no local Garda presence in Blanchardstown——

Mrs. McGennis

At Blanchardstown Garda station.

Mr. Currie

——from next week. That is alarmist and irresponsible. It is a slight on the local gardaí who would not leave the local community in that position. I am glad the Senator remembered the Minister's commitment given in Hartstown almost at the start of our term of office. We are in the process of carrying out the commitments we made at that time. I hope the Senator listens carefully to what I have to say and that she avoids making wrong statements in the future.

I am grateful for this opportunity to record progress on the provision of a new district headquarters Garda station in Blanchardstown. The Minister and I fully agree that the existing station in the main street is totally inadequate for the policing needs of this developing area, and has been for a long time, even before the present Minister came to office and including long periods when the Senator's party was in office and could have done something about it. I assure the Senator that a high priority is being afforded to the provision of a new Garda station in Blanchardstown and that the project is being progressed as quickly as possible.

The Office of Public Works, whose responsibility it is to procure a site and build a new station, is in negotiation with Fingal County Council with a view to acquiring a site at the corner of the main street and Corduff Lane, referred to in the question as the clonmel site, for the erection of the new station. These negotiations are proceeding satisfactorily and no difficulties with the acquisition of the site are envisaged.

I am aware of rumours circulating in the area that there is some difficulty in acquiring this site for the Garda station and that these misleading and possibly mischievous rumours are causing concern locally, particularly in the station. I want, therefore, to state again that neither the Minister nor I have any reason to believe or suspect that there will be any problem in acquiring this site. The Office of Public Works expects to shortly conclude an agreement on price with Fingal County Council. While it is the case that the site in question is part of property which is the subject of transfer from Dublin Corporation to Fingal County Council. I am assured that there will not be a problem because of this. In other words, once a price is agreed and the necessary legal formalities in relation to title are completed, as would be the norm in any such transaction, the site will be acquired.

However, it will take further time before this process can be fully completed. I know that the gardaí will accept this is the case. Anybody who has ever bought a house will be aware of the legal niceties involved in property conveyancing and that transfer cannot be effected overnight. However, this is not hindering progress as the Office of Public Works is being allowed full access to the site and, concurrently with the site negotiations, planning of the new station is proceeding. A detailed brief of requirements, which was drawn up following consultation between officials of the Department and the gardaí, has been forwarded to the Office of Public Works. It is now a matter for that office to prepare detailed drawings and agree these with my Department and the Garda. When this is done the Office of Public Works will immediately undertake the necessary planning consultation and prepare tender documents. Work has been proceeding and the Minister expects construction of the new station to begin before the end of the year.

The need for a new station at Blanchardstown was evident long before the present Minister took office and I know that various options had been examined in a preliminary manner. However, the Minister immediately made it one of her priorities to get something done about it. She put in motion the search for and the acquisition of a suitable site, the preparation of plans for the new building and the earmarking of the necessary funds. I am happy that the project is now well under way and that there will be no avoidable delay in providing the Garda and people of Blanchardstown with their much needed new station. Much as the Minister and I would like to see the building work start tomorrow, one must be realistic about these things. Planning a large and costly building takes time. Shortcuts in design can lead to serious problems later on. I am satisfied that the Office of Public Works is proceeding with this project as quickly as possible and that there is no avoidable delay.

The Seanad adjourned at 4.15 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 28 February 1996.