First, I am very happy to welcome our new colleague, Deputy Bacik. She will make a positive contribution and I wish her well.

I have raised the following issue with the Taoiseach several times. The only reason I am raising it again is because it is an urgent matter and right decisions can still be taken. I speak of the need for a new Garda station in Sligo. To be clear, I am not asking the Taoiseach to intervene in an operational decision taken by the Garda Commissioner to restructure divisions as part of the new operating model. However, as soon as the Commissioner took that decision, the plans to build a new Garda station in Sligo were scrapped. This is despite the fact that before Christmas 2019, the Office of Public Works, OPW, deemed Sligo Garda station unfit for purpose. The restructuring of the Garda divisions meant approximately ten staff would move from Sligo but the new operating model means additional staff are coming to Sligo. In a recent response, the Taoiseach told me 20 new staff were coming there and consequently, there will be more staff under the current regime than under the old one.

The station is unfit for purpose. It was built in the 1840s and while some refurbishment has taken place, the building is still totally inadequate. It is too small; it is a warren of rooms and stairs with small poky offices and Portakabins out the back. The footprint of the building is just too small. The facilities within the rooms are simply not fit for purpose. I visited two weeks ago with my colleague, Councillor Marie Casserly, and it is not an exaggeration to say I was shocked. For example, the scenes of crime unit, where the equipment necessary to solve crimes is housed and the personnel are based, is beyond belief. I do not know how anyone works in it, let alone solves crimes. In addition, members of the Garda in Sligo have submitted a brief for the refurbishment of the station and 40% of their requirements are not being met. There is a long list. A new site was purchased and plans were drawn up. Sligo was part of a public private partnership, PPP, with Macroom and Clonmel but it has now been dropped and the money has gone elsewhere. The decision not to proceed with a Garda station in Sligo was not operational but financial. I ask the Taoiseach to look at that again.

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue with me. However, as I have said to her previously, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including the Garda estate. The Deputy will be aware the Office of Public Works has responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. Works on Garda accommodation are progressed by Garda authorities, working in close co-operation with the OPW. The determination of the need for the development of a new Garda station in any location is considered by the Garda Commissioner in the context of the overall accommodation requirements arising from the ongoing expansion of the Garda workforce and the availability of capital funding, as well as the implementation of the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland.

My understanding is one of the key recommendations of the commission was the introduction of a new Garda operating model, which was announced by the Commissioner in 2019. As part of this reform, I am informed, the Commissioner decided not to progress a new build for Sligo Garda station, taking account of a range of factors, the most pertinent of which from the Commissioner's perspective, was the decision to create a new three-county division, namely, Donegal-Sligo-Leitrim, the divisional headquarters of which will be in Letterkenny. I understand An Garda Síochána has invested, and continues to invest, significant funding in refurbishing the current Garda station in Sligo and that further upgrade works are currently under way, including the provision of a new cell block to allow for additional capacity and improved custody management facilities. I also understand and am informed the planned works include accommodation for the scenes of crime unit.

It is important to note this is not a decision made due to finance or a lack of resources from Government. This is an operational decision taken by the Garda Commissioner in his capacity as Accounting Officer and as the person responsible by law for the allocation of Garda resources.

The decision was taken in the context of the significant reorganisation of Garda resources that underpins the new Garda Síochána operating model. That is the decision the Garda Commissioner has taken. I understand refurbishment has been carried out and there are further significant upgrades to be carried out to what is, I agree, a very old building. That work will continue and I will provide the Deputy and her Oireachtas colleagues with further timelines on that upgrade. That is the current position.

The Taoiseach mentioned the OPW, which deemed that building unfit for purpose in December 2019. The Garda Commissioner then made changes around the operational model. I am not asking the Taoiseach to interfere but nothing has changed. The footprint of that building is too small and it is a warren of rooms. Despite the fact that some refurbishment has taken place, it still is simply and totally unsuitable. There will be more staff in Sligo Garda station and not fewer, so if it was too small in the first place, it is certainly too small now.

As a proper cost-benefit analysis is needed, will the Taoiseach ensure such a proper analysis happens for the refurbishment that is compliant with the public spending code? We do not have one and we are not getting value for money in that respect. I invite the Taoiseach to see Sligo Garda station when he can, where he can see for himself that what I am saying is not me grandstanding. This is about a Garda station that is totally unfit for purpose.

I accept the Deputy is not grandstanding and I know other Deputies in the House raised the matter also. I get the sense from Deputies that local members of the Garda are clearly very concerned about this. The issue for the Government is that the Garda Commissioner has made a decision in respect of the new operating model and in light of this has made a decision on the capital works across three areas in that one division. That seems to be the challenge and the difficulty.

They are now concentrating on an upgrade of the existing facility in Sligo and Garda estate management is conducting an operational review. They are requesting that the contract to refurbish be amended to provide two additional cells. Works are proposed to redevelop the remainder of the station and these works are currently being assessed between Garda estate management, local management and the Office of Public Works. As the scope of the work has not yet been finalised, we are not in a position to provide timelines or costs but we will keep Deputies informed of the progress.