Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 September 2006
445 Mr. O’Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the hours of opening of Ardee Garda station to the public; if he will commence a review of these hours and increase the opening hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30087/06]
View answerI have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that local Garda management attended a meeting with Ardee Town Council on 27 February, 2006, where the need for a Garda presence on the street was discussed. In this regard, the opening hours as set out in the following table were agreed as the most effective way of providing a visible Garda presence in the town while providing a public office service at Ardee Garda Station.
|
Day |
Hours |
|
Monday |
10am-12.30pm & 7pm-8pm |
|
Tuesday |
9.30am-11am & 7pm-8pm |
|
Wednesday |
1pm-2pm & 5pm-6pm |
|
Thursday |
6pm-8pm |
|
Friday |
10am-12pm |
|
Saturday |
10am-12pm |
Garda management state that the extension of the opening hours at Ardee Garda Station would necessitate the employment of additional personnel on indoor administrative duties who may be more effectively employed on outdoor policing duties. Garda management further state that Garda personnel assigned to Ardee Garda Station, together with the overall policing arrangements and operational strategy, are continually monitored and reviewed. Such monitoring ensures that optimum use is made of Garda resources, and the best possible Garda service is provided to the general public.
I should add that the current recruitment drive to increase the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000 members, in line with the commitment in the Agreed Programme for Government, is fully on target. This will lead to a combined strength, of both attested Gardaí and recruits in training, of 14,000 by the end of this year. The first three groups of newly attested Gardaí under this accelerated recruitment programme came on stream in March, June and September of this year and the fourth such group will become fully attested members of the Force later this year. Further tranches of approximately 275 newly attested Gardaí will follow every 90 days thereafter until the programme is complete. The Garda Commissioner will now be drawing up plans on how best to distribute and manage these additional resources, and in this context the needs of Ardee Garda Station will be given the fullest consideration.
