By the end of October each year, the Garda Commissioner is obliged under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 to submit to the Minister a policing plan for the following year which sets out the proposed arrangements for the policing of the State. The approved plan is laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas.
When preparing the plan, the Commissioner must under the Act have regard to a number of matters, including the resources available to the Garda Síochána, the priorities for the Garda Síochána as determined by the Minister, relevant Government policy and the Garda Síochána's own strategy statement. In addition, the Act provides that the policing plan must include details of certain types of proposals, including proposals to open or close a Garda station, establish or dissolve a Garda national unit, alter certain Garda geographical boundaries, or establish or relocate certain Garda headquarters.
The policing plan for 2013 has not yet been submitted to the Minister and it would be premature to speculate at this stage what it might contain, although it is expected to contain proposals for the further rationalisation of the Garda station network.
Clearly, in drawing up arrangements for the policing of the State each year the Commissioner and his senior management team take all relevant factors into account, including population, crime levels and trends and policing priorities. The objective is to ensure that optimum use is made of Garda resources and the most effective policing service is provided to the public.
