asked the Minister for Justice if he will re-open the Garda station at Puckane, Nenagh, County Tipperary.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Tipperary Garda Station.
18.
The Garda authorities state that they consider the existing arrangements for policing the Puckane area from Nenagh give a reasonably adequate service and also provide the most efficient use of manpower over the district as a whole. They therefore consider that the re-opening of a Garda station in Puckane would not be justified.
Is the Minister aware that, since the closure of this Garda station some years ago, the situation in the area has altered considerably due to the fact that the population has quadrupled following the building of private and local authority houses and the provision of tourist amenities, and that this area has now become one of the most well-known lakeside tourist amenities?
I understand that approximately 1,200 people are living in the area. It is encouraging to know that the number of crimes committed in the area is extremely small. The indictable crimes in 1978 showed a 25 per cent decrease over the year before which, in reality, is only one less in that in the earlier year four were committed and three were committed in 1978. The Garda are satisfied they can police the area reasonably well from Nenagh. I would be prepared to ask them to give due consideration to the Deputy's comments about the increase in the population in the district.