Skip to main content
Normal View

Garda Station Closures

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2019

Tuesday, 23 July 2019

Questions (910)

Mattie McGrath

Question:

910. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda stations that have been closed in each Garda division since 2011, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33413/19]

View answer

Written answers

There has been an unprecedented level of investment in Garda resources across the State in recent years. The allocation to An Garda Síochána for 2019 amounts to €1.76 billion and significant capital investment is also being made in An Garda Síochána including €342 million being invested in Garda ICT infrastructure between 2016 and 2021 and €46 million for investment in the Garda fleet.

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 responsibility for the formulation of proposals in relation to the opening and closing of Garda stations. As Minister, I have no direct role in such matters. Indeed the Deputy may recall that as recently as December 2018, the Garda Síochána Inspectorate in its report “Policing with Local Communities” confirmed that it is appropriate that the Commissioner should continue to hold this responsibility.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the Garda District and Station Rationalisation Programme, developed and implemented in 2012 and 2013, resulted in the closure of 139 Garda stations nationwide. I am further informed by the Garda authorities that the closures implemented nationally under this programme allowed front line Gardaí to be managed and deployed with greater mobility, greater flexibility and in a more focused fashion, particularly with regard to targeted police operations.

It should be noted that the number of Garda stations in Ireland compares favourably with similar jurisdictions including Scotland.

The table below sets out the locations of the Garda stations that were closed in that programme.

Division

Number of Stations Closed

DMR North

2

DMR North Central

0

DMR South

0

DMR South Central

1

DMR East

3

DMR West

0

Cavan/Monaghan

9

Donegal

8

Louth

0

Sligo/Leitrim

12

Cork City

4

Cork North

1

Cork West

9

Kerry

12

Limerick

8

Kilkenny/Carlow

4

Tipperary

7

Waterford

2

Wexford

3

Kildare

3

Meath

2

Westmeath

4

Wicklow

2

Laois/Offaly

4

Clare

9

Galway

11

Mayo

10

Roscommon/Longford

9

Total

139

Top
Share