Seanad Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 4 Feb 2004

Vol. 175 No. 7

Garda Stations.

Mr. Finucane

I wish to raise the issue of the Garda station in Galbally. The Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Parlon, recently announced that certain older Garda stations will be sold off and replaced with more modern buildings. One of the stations selected was that at Galbally, which was built in the 1930s. Galbally station differs from some of those which are ex-RIC barracks and was extensively refurbished in the past. It is still used as a Garda station, but the accommodation quarters are no longer in use.

Galbally community council has been proactive and one of the areas that concerns it relates to certain instances in 2001 when there was a spate of robberies in the area. These probably brought a great deal of attention and focus on Galbally Garda station and in recent times there was a violent robbery at the local post office. The council wishes to know when the existing building will be sold, when the new Garda station is likely to be in place and if accommodation will be provided at the new station. The council considers the latter as essential to enable a garda to be based in the area.

Galbally station is near the Tipperary border and is in the administration of the Garda in that county. The Bruff gardaí only patrol to a place called Ballylanders, which is approximately two and a half miles away. If the Galbally station was under the jurisdiction of the Bruff gardaí, there would be a possibility of a patrol car operating in the area thereabouts. Although this is not part of the original matter I put down, I wish to voice my concerns.

The Galbally community council took an initiative in recent times to put in place a security system outside the community centre which was later extended to the areas around the church and post office. The system cost €7,000 and appears to be providing effective security coverage. Following the recent robbery, gardaí were able to refer to video tapes from the closed circuit TV system. The community council wants to co-exist in perfect harmony with gardaí in the locality. It is concerned, however, about what will happen in the future and wants to ensure that accommodation will be provided at the new Garda station so that a garda will be based there. I thank the Minister for his attendance.

Mr. M. McDowell

I thank Senator Finucane for raising this matter and I welcome the opportunity to address it.

I understand that the prospect of a new Garda station for Galbally, County Limerick, arises in the context of an equity exchange programme being advanced by the Office of Public Works. The latter acts as the estate management agency for the Garda estate and deals with matters of property maintenance, ownership, etc. The equity exchange programme, which is an initiative of the OPW, is part of the effort of that office to maximise the State assets tied up in its extensive property portfolio. As far as Garda stations are concerned, the Minister of State, Deputy Parlon, and the Office of Public Works recognise that certain rural stations operate from old unsuitable buildings often situated on large under-utilised sites. The exchange programme proposes that, where feasible, such stations will be replaced by more appropriate Garda accommodation on suitable sites locally.

Following a survey of Garda properties carried out by the OPW, in excess of 100 stations have been deemed to be of poor quality and in need of major refurbishment. Many of those stations are dispersed throughout the country and consist mostly of basic one person units. The Office of Public Works considers that the cost of refurbishment of these stations would be substantial. To alleviate this problem, the Office of Public Works considers that the best way forward is to engage in an equity exchange programme with the private sector.

I understand that the programme, which is being driven by the OPW, will involve the disposal to private developers of certain Garda stations which are in need of significant refurbishment to bring them to an acceptable standard in exchange for alternative, good quality premises which meet modern Garda requirements. I am assured that these new premises will satisfy OPW specifications and Garda needs. Furthermore, I wish it to be understood that one of the conditions of this scheme will be that no existing Garda station will be closed or disposed of until a suitable replacement is ready for occupation. In other words, if a Garda station is situated on a site of two acres which are of substantial value, if it does not make sense to refurbish it in its current state and if a deal is put together with a developer for the site on the understanding that the latter must construct a modern shop-style station on the main street of the local town or wherever, it will only be at that stage that the developer will gain access to the vacated site. As a first step, the Office of Public Works intends to run a pilot scheme covering eight Garda stations clustered in the Tipperary-Limerick area. Galbally is one of these stations.

The programme does not involve the closure of any of the Garda stations involved. Indeed, it is an essential element of the programme that none of the stations involved is closed until the replacement is ready for occupation. Any new building will be built to the exact specifications of both the Garda Síochána and the Office of Public Works. If living quarters are required at any location involved in the scheme, and that is the situation in Galbally, they will be provided. Moreover, there will be no reduction in the level of existing Garda services in Galbally as a result of the programme.

I listened to the Senator's remarks about Bruff, the divisional area issue and the squad car but I am not in a position to make an intelligent response because I did not have notice about them. However, if the Senator wishes to write to me about those issues, I will be glad to respond.

The Seanad adjourned at 7.40 p.m. until10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 5 February 2004.