Cashel, which is my home town, is a tourism centre. The OPW recorded slightly fewer than 400,000 people visiting it last year. That figure does not include tourists who come to Cahir, Holycross and the surrounding area. Despite the level of footfall, the Garda station in the town only opens for seven and a half hours a week. You cannot even find out on which days it opens because the schedule changes from week to week. We are being told it is going to be closed for several months while renovations take place. Is the Minister happy with a location with that kind of footfall having no Garda station? How can things be run there? What does the Government intend to do to keep Cashel safe during that closure and while those kind of opening hours are being experienced?

Opening hours are a matter for operational decision by the Garda Commissioner. What has happened in other locations is there has been engagement with the local community and public representatives, and a commitment has been given that the Garda station will be open for certain defined hours in the week in order that people who have to go there to get passport forms stamped and so on know it will definitely be open at certain times. Perhaps that is worth exploring at local level. It has been done successfully elsewhere. I hear what the Deputy is saying about the hours being irregular and the fact that the station is open sometimes but that it is not always predictable. It would be good if agreement were possible that for certain hours in the week it would definitely be open, people could access it and avail of the services being provided.