New garda station needed for Northside, O’Callaghan says

Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan has questioned the government on how exactly a garda station is going to be built in North Dublin when the site has not yet been identified.

The Dublin Bay North TD was speaking after receiving confirmation from Minister of State Kevin “Boxer” Moran that construction of the new North Dublin Garda station would begin in 2028, despite a site not being designated by the OPW

O’Callaghan called the situation “perplexing.”

“How can the Minister of State expect to start construction so soon if he doesn’t even know where the station is supposed to go?” he asked.

“This is all the more bizarre considering a site had already been chosen back in 2019 at Northern Cross, triumphantly announced by senior Government ministers at the time,” he noted.

O’Callaghan noted that the site in North Dublin is owned by Dublin City Council and was to be transferred to the OPW.

“This part of North Dublin has a rapidly growing population, but the basic services are not following; the Garda station should have been planned, built, and operational years ago.”

O’Callaghan said “the Minister for State needs to take action, engage with the Gardaí, the OPW and Dublin City Council to get shovels in the ground with urgency.”

“Local residents deserve to feel safe in their community and listened to by their Minister.”