I welcome the Minister of State. This is an important matter for Ballina and the surrounding area. I am sure the Minister of State is aware of the position from her briefing in the Department but it is over ten years since the campaign first started in Ballina for a new Garda station in the town. The current station is housed in an old, practically antediluvian building. It has been altered and improved and whatever could be done with its limited facilities has been done.
The people of the town and the Garda Síochána are concerned because the station is located in a cul-de-sac and there is only one way out. Given the imagination of criminals nowadays, it is not difficult to visualise what could happen in circumstances where the Garda station is located in a cul-de-sac and only has one entrance. In addition, there are houses on both sides of the station. For this and many other reasons, a new Garda station is needed in Ballina.
In provincial towns two types of building reflect the prosperity and activity in the area and people's attitudes in terms of the tidy towns competition and other aspects of a town's environment. These are the municipal buildings and the Garda station. They are a barometer of a town's prosperity and reflect the ambience of an area. This is another reason Ballina should get a new Garda station.
Ironically, tomorrow night Ballina Urban District Council is due to discuss, among other matters, the development of a new municipal building for the town. The current building is over 20 years old and it is not in the same condition as the Garda station. However, given the level of development in the town, councillors believe it needs a new municipal building. Thankfully, this is within the remit of county and urban district councillors and the Department has also provided a grant for such a building. Fortunately, it is not necessary to involve the Office of Public Works. It has been looking at sites and options for a Garda station for the past ten years, but nothing has happened.
Ballina has progressed in many respects over the past ten years. It has grown out of all proportion. There has been a big increase in population with a concurrent increase in crime levels. Every time the population increases, the crime level also increases. Despite zero tolerance, the level of petty crime, particularly in provincial towns, is increasing. Drugs are also becoming a problem in provincial towns. Heretofore, they were only evident in major cities and centres of population but many provincial towns now have the associated crime. This is another reason that Ballina needs a new, state of the art Garda station with modern technology.
At present, the station has 24 or 25 gardaí and four or five sergeants. This is a considerable number of people who have to work in unsuitable conditions. Given that we are at the start of a new millennium, I ask the Minister of State to consider, in conjunction with the Office of Public Works, what can be done to expedite this matter. This problem has been ongoing for too long – ten years is a long time to toy with an idea. We are told small developments have taken place but at the end of each year, nothing has really changed. Progress should be made now given the availability of Exchequer funds and the Govern ment's emphasis on crime prevention and control, zero tolerance and crime related issues.
There has been no increase in the incidence of crime in many areas as a result of the way the Garda is tackling crime. It is one step ahead of the criminal on many occasions and that is how it should be. There must be a physical infrastructure in place if one is to operate an efficient Garda force. We do not have such an infrastructure in Ballina.
Largescale industrial development is currently taking place in Ballina, with one of the biggest industrial complexes in the world, Coca-Cola, due to open there shortly. When the Taoiseach visited the premises last week he was extremely impressed with the scale of the operation and the contribution it will make to the local and national economy. Two thirds of the world's requirement for Coca-Cola will be produced in Ballina. That is a major boost for the town. Our infrastructure must reflect our status. Part of the required infrastructure is a new Garda station, previous appeals for which have fallen on deaf ears. I am sure the Minister can provide some light at the end of the tunnel.
I have tried to present an overview of the situation. I am sure the Minister of State is not familiar with the current physical structure in Ballina. If she visited Ballina she would see the inadequacy of the current building to cater for a modern police force.
