Garda Stations.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 June 2004

Tuesday, 15 June 2004

Questions (424)

Jack Wall

Question:

477 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí attached to stations (details supplied) in County Kildare; the number of hours the stations are open; the provision available to residents of the area to contact the Garda when the stations are closed; the number of times this mechanism has been used in the past two years; the number of public order offences that have occurred in the area in the past two years; the number of convictions that have resulted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17152/04]

Written answers

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

I have been informed by the Garda authorities which are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength of Ballytore and Castledermot Garda stations, as at 9 June 2004, is as follows: Ballytore, one garda; Castledermot, two gardaí. Ballytore Garda station is open to the public between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. each weekday. Castledermot Garda station is open to the public between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and again from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. each weekday. Public access call box and call diversion systems are in operation when Ballytore and Castledermot Garda stations are closed. Callers to Ballytore Garda station are diverted to Baltinglass Garda station and callers to Castledermot Garda station are diverted to Carlow Garda station. It is not possible to say how many times the public access call box system has been used in the past two years in respect of each station. The number of public order offences and convictions in respect of each station in the past two years is detailed in the following table:

Year	2002 offences	2002 convictions	2003 offences	2003 convictions
Ballytore	2	1	2	2
Castledermot	5	0	5	5