Vol. 398 No. 10
164 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice if his attention has been drawn to Garda numbers serving the Mountrath area of County Laois; if he has satisfied himself that one sergeant and two gardaí can adequately service the needs of a community of 4,478, living in an area of 42,000 statute acres; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The detailed allocation of Garda resources to individual stations is a matter for the Garda authorities, who inform me that the current operational strength at Mountrath is considered to be adequate to meet present policing needs. A Garda motorcycle is provided for the station party there to enable them to patrol and service outlying areas and the service they provide is supplemented as necessary by mobile patrols operating from the divisional headquarters at Portlaoise. These arrangements will continue to be kept under review in the light of changing needs and circumstances.
