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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

Swords Garda station upgrade

Summary

Deputy Graves welcomes extra gardaí for Swords but says the town still needs a modern station to match its growth. The Tánaiste agrees stations must be fit for purpose and says he will follow up on the planned visit by the Minister.

The much-needed additional gardaí announced for Swords and Malahide are very welcome. However it does not address the need for a fit-for-purpose station in Swords. The station we currently have was built when Swords was a village. We now have a population of over 41,000 and growing. It services the areas around it, including Portmarnock, Donabate and further afield.

The gardaí are doing the best they can with limited services, including working overtime to deal with antisocial behaviour, etc. An upgrade has been planned since 2005 and nothing has happened. We really need a fully functioning Garda station. I met the Minister for justice in October. He promised to visit the station. I raised it again on the floor of the Dáil and he promised to look at it again. Can we do something about it?

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Simon Harris The Tánaiste Fine Gael

I thank the Deputy for her contribution and for acknowledging the additional gardaí, who are badly needed. We need to continue to increase the number of gardaí through Templemore. The Deputy is right that as we increase the number of gardaí, we need to make sure we have modern fit-for-purpose stations. The population of Swords is now much closer to the population of a city than that of a village. I welcome the fact that the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, said that he will visit. I certainly follow up with him on that.

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