Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
Question:51. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Justice for an update on the development of the new Garda station planned for Dublin 13 and Dublin 17. [18112/23]
View answerTuesday, 18 April 2023
Questions (51)
Oral answers (6 contributions)
I wish to ask the Minister, once again, for an update on the development of a much needed Garda station which is planned for the Dublin 13-Dublin 17 area.
I thank Deputy Ó Ríordáin for the question. Under the national development plan, the Government is committed to investing significant levels of capital funding into An Garda Síochána to deliver a Garda station modernisation and refurbishment programme, to deliver strategic ICT and digitalisation projects, and to deliver a modern, fit-for-purpose Garda fleet. This is a core part of the our plan to build stronger, safer communities.
As Deputy Ó Ríordáin is aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of the Garda, including the Garda estate and Garda stations. Matters in relation to Garda accommodation are progressed by the Garda authorities working in close co-operation with the Office of Public Works. I can, however, assure the Deputy that the Government remains committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources and facilities it needs to tackle organised crime and keep us safe and have the infrastructure that it needs. I look forward to continuing the investment in Garda infrastructure over the lifetime of the national development plan.
The Northern Cross project and the development of a substantial Garda station, including a new divisional headquarters for the Dublin metropolitan region, is one of the most significant Garda building investments in the national development plan, as Deputy Ó Ríordáin knows. As he is aware, discussions are ongoing with Dublin City Council in relation to making a site available to An Garda Síochána and the OPW for the construction of a new Garda station at Northern Cross. From inquiries I made again this week I understand that discussions on agreement on the site are progressing well. The next phase will be securing planning permission, which I am informed could be sought as early as 2024. I also understand that discussions have included the potential transfer of the existing Coolock Garda station site to Dublin City Council as part of the agreement.
This is positive with regard to planning permission potentially being sought in 2024 and Coolock Garda station potentially being transferred to or acquired by Dublin City Council. This is interesting. The Minister will note that I always get the same answer with regard to the Garda Commissioner. I raise this issue as often as I possibly can. It is a large expanding community. We have made the same mistakes over and over again in the course of the history of the State where we have a large growth in population and we do not put in place the basic infrastructure in the new communities. We need schools, play facilities, childcare and a Garda station. It will not just be a Garda station; it will be a divisional headquarters, which will be of great comfort to the existing communities in Dublin 13 and Dublin 17 and the planned communities. Will the Minister give a commitment that he and the Department will take an active interest not only in providing a new facility but also the Garda members who will be needed to help to support and empower the local community?
I can and often, when I outline the law as to the responsibilities of the Commissioner versus me, it is not to recuse myself of interest in a project. Deputy Ó Ríordáin, who raises this on a regular basis, knows this is a major commitment in the national development plan. The Northern Cross project is a commitment under the national development plan. The Office of Public Works will have responsibility for project delivery. The site for the location is still subject to discussions between the Garda, the OPW and Dublin City Council. The proposed site is at Northern Cross on the Malahide Road on lands currently owned by the city council, which Deputy Ó Ríordáin knows better than me although I happened to see them the other day. The project is included in an indicative schedule of works under the Garda capital plan. I acknowledge the Deputy has raised the issue of the development of a new station on several occasions. The site will not only consist of a new station for the Dublin 13 and Dublin 17 areas, including Donaghmede and Coolock, but will also act as a divisional headquarters, as I have said, for the Dublin metropolitan region north division and additional specialist training facilities will also be incorporated into the site. The beauty of this campus is that it will allow for further expansion based on operational need and a growing population.
I am given to understand that we are losing Coolock Garda station. This new divisional headquarters will mean that Coolock Garda station will no longer exist and this will be the new headquarters. It will be bigger and will have more resources. People have a traditional relationship with a Garda station and interact with it. They know where it is and they know how it operates. It will be a body of work to allay some local concerns with regard to how the transfer of power and new alignment will happen. We need to have a level of community engagement. The Minister needs to speak to the residents' associations that have been so proactive in advocating for this new station. We must absolutely ensure that it will not just be a building but a new policing structure and engagement in that part of the city because it has existing pockets of disadvantage. There have been tensions with An Garda Síochána over the past 50 years. It also has fantastic potential for a new relationship as the area and population expand.
I respectfully suggest that we should allow the discussions between the Garda, the OPW and Dublin City Council to conclude. This will then enable them to prepare for planning with a view to bringing forward planning in 2024 potentially. This is the window or timeframe that we potentially have. Of course it will be important that local communities are updated and kept engaged and informed on the rationale and benefits of this project. Having the city council as a partner is very advantageous in this regard. Certainly the discussion on the existing Coolock station can be a part of this discussion in terms of the local needs and the views of the council and, therefore, the community in this regard. This is ultimately about delivering a major new project for Deputy Ó Ríordáin's community. It is a project that will be the divisional headquarters for the area. It could also be home to additional specialist training facilities that can only be good for community gardaí. It will be future-proofed in terms of having room for expansion. I am happy to keep Deputy Ó Ríordáin informed once I know the outcome of the discussions.
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