asked the Minister for Justice if, in view of the public disquiet manifested at a well attended public meeting in Newcastle, Clonmel, County Tipperary regarding the incidence of serious crime in the area, he will allocate sufficient Garda personnel for effective policing; and if he will arrange, as a matter of urgency and in order to allay the fears of residents, to reopen the Garda station.

The Garda authorities report that, while there was a robbery in December which may have given rise to anxiety among the residents, the incidence of crime in the Newcastle area is low. They consider that, having regard to other demands on Garda resources, the policing arrangements in the area are reasonably adequate and that the re-opening of the Garda station at Newcastle would not be justified at present.