Garda station hours
Deputy Nolan called for reopened Garda stations and longer opening hours in growing towns, saying population growth had outpaced police presence.
I raise the need to reopen Garda stations and increase the operational hours of stations in areas in which there has been a growth in population. In my constituency, Laois-Offaly, the number of probationary gardaí has only gone from nine to 16 between 2015 and 2023. Many towns in the constituency, including Kilcormac, Banagher and Kinitty, need to see more operational hours in the Garda stations. There has been an increase in population, so obviously there has also been an increase in crime. We must ensure the Garda has a presence. Will the Tánaiste commit to allocating more resources to the Garda and to reviewing the Garda stations?