Brendan Griffin
Question:536. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans for a facility (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25750/13]
View answerTuesday, 28 May 2013
Questions (536)
Written answers
The Deputy will be aware that the Commissioner's policing plan for 2013, which I laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas on 5 December 2012, set out plans for the closure of a number of Garda stations around the country in 2013. In that context, Lauragh Garda Station was closed on 31 January 2013. The objective of modernising and re-calibrating the Garda station network is to ensure that Garda resources are used in the best and most efficient way possible, in both rural and urban areas, to the benefit of all law-abiding people who reside in this State. The freeing up of gardaí from desk duties will increase the number of gardaí available for front-line policing. Nationally, revised policing arrangements will result in an additional 61,000 operational policing hours in 2013.
The allocation of all Garda resources, including personnel, is a matter for the Garda Commissioner, in consultation with his senior management team. Resource levels are constantly monitored, in conjunction with crime trends and other demands made on the Garda Síochána. The situation is kept under continuing review to ensure optimum use is made of these resources and the best possible Garda service is provided to the public.
Kenmare Garda station provides a local policing service to the Lauragh area and I have been informed by the Commissioner that the personnel strength, on 30 April 2013, of Kenmare Garda station was ten. The district headquarters is located in Killarney and the strength of that district at the end of April was 104. There are also ten Garda reservists and nine civilians attached to the Killarney Garda district.