asked the Minister for Justice why two of the four members of the Garda Síochána have been moved from the station in Lusk leaving the station closed down from mid-day each day.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Lusk (Dublin) Garda Station.
50.
The strength of the station party at Lusk has been reduced to one sergeant and one garda following the allocation of a major part of the Lusk sub-district to Swords Garda station. The strength of Swords station has been increased by two.
The new arrangements are designed to provide for more efficient policing of the area, and the reduced opening hours at Lusk have been fixed to enable the station party to carry out the maximum amount of the more important outdoor police duties, while providing an adequate office service.
Will the Minister say if he has changed his practice of refusing to give numbers of Garda strength. He is prepared to give figures today, whereas, during the last session, he refused to give figures. Has there been a change?
No. The position is that I am prepared to give figures in regard to an area or a particular station but it was regarded by my predecessors and it is regarded by me as not being in the interests of security or in the public interest to give figures of the number of gardai engaged in a particular task in a particular area.