Danny Healy-Rae
Question:125. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the Garda stations in Lauragh and Sneem, County Kerry, will reopen on a full-time basis. [29825/18]
View answerThursday, 5 July 2018
Questions (125)
Written answers
The Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is primarily responsible for the effective and efficient use of the resources available to An Garda Síochána, including the opening times of Garda stations. As Minister, I have no role in the matter.
I have asked the Garda Commissioner for the specific information requested and when it is to hand I will inform the Deputy accordingly.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 42A
I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 125 for answer on 5 July 2018 relating to Sneem and former Lauragh Garda Stations in County Kerry.
As the Deputy will recall, the information he requested could not be obtained in the time available and I undertook to contact him again when the details were to hand. I am now in receipt of the requested information from the Garda authorities.
As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is primarily responsible for operational decisions in respect of the effective and efficient use of resources available to An Garda Síochána including the opening hours of Garda stations and I, as Minister, have no role in relation to the matter.
I am however informed by the Garda authorities that Sneem Garda Station, opens to the public from 10 – 12 Monday to Saturday and is closed on Sunday. I am further informed that there are no plans to re-open the station on a full time basis at this time.
I am further informed that Sneem Garda Station forms part of the Killarney Garda District in the Kerry Garda Division. I am advised by the Commissioner that the Garda strength of the Kerry Division on the 31 July 2018, the latest date for which figures are readily available was 328, of whom 111 members are assigned to the Killarney District and 1 member is assigned to Sneem Garda Station. There are also 19 Garda Reserves and 36 Garda civilian staff attached to the Division. When appropriate, the work of local Gardaí is supported by a number of Garda national units such as the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.
I understand from the Garda authorities that Lauragh Garda Station was closed in January 2013 as part the Garda District and Station Rationalisation Programme. 139 Garda stations were closed under that programme. I am informed by the Garda authorities that these closures have allowed front line Garda to be managed and deployed with greater mobility, greater flexibility and in a more focused fashion particularly with regard to various targeted police operations.
I am further informed by the Garda authorities that they have been advised by the Office of Public Works, which has responsibility for the repair, refurbishment, maintenance and sale of State properties, that the former Garda station in Lauragh has been sold.
I trust that this information is of assistance.