Fears for future of key Garda station

DOUBT hangs over the future of one of the city’s key Garda stations after questions were put to the Minister for Justice in the Dáil recently.

The Government was accused of abandoning the local community in Drimnagh and Crumlin after Minister Shatter was asked to guarantee that Sundrive Road Garda station would remain open next year.

The station, which serves a large population in both the Drimnagh and Crumlin districts, has already had its status downgraded from full-time to part-time in April of this year.

It is now closed to the public between 9pm and 7am.

Sinn Fein representative, Daithí Doolan, said a lack of clarity on the issue would come as a shock to the local community.

“The Sinn Féin Parliamentary Question asked the minister to give a guarantee that Sundrive Road Garda Station will remain open permanently,

? he said.

“Unfortunately no commitment was given. This news will come as a shock to local residents. The minister only recently reduced Sundrive to a part time station. And now the entire community is facing the prospect that the station will close permanently.

?

He added:

“Closing this Garda station would be a disaster for residents, especially our older and vulnerable neighbours.

?

In his response to the parliamentary question, Minister Shatter could not confirm the future status of the Garda station under next year’s Policing Plan.

He said:

“Under the Garda Síochána Acts 2005 – 2007, the Commissioner is required to submit, before November of each year, a policing plan for the forthcoming year,

? the minister stated.

“The Policing Plan for 2013 has not yet been prepared and therefore it is not possible to say at this stage what it may contain although I expect that it will contain measures to address the ongoing issue of rationalisation of the Garda station network.

?

Mr Doolan said the minister’s response was

“totally unacceptable

?.

“This response sends out the wrong message,

? he said.

“People deserve to live in a society where they feel safe but the Government’s lack of clarity on the issue throws this into doubt.

?

He added:

“There are certain expenditures that should be no go areas. This is going to put other stations under pressure and resources will be stretched even further. I am appealing to local government TDs to rally with us and demand that the minister gives a commitment to keep Sundrive open on a permanent basis.

?

The potential closure has come at a time when gardai are continuing to tackle localised crime as a result of feuding between Drimnagh-Crumlin gangs.

Both areas have been marred by violence in the past that has cost the lives of a number of local criminals.

According to last year’s Garda end-of-year report, localised crime was identified as one of the biggest factors dealt with by the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) and the Garda Organised Crime Unit (OCU).