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Stepaside Garda Station, in my constituency of Dublin South, is the largest Garda station to be closed in the implementation of the Garda Commissioner's Policing Plan for 2013. The objective of station closures is to enhance the effectiveness of the Force - increasing Garda visibility and patrol hours, improving Garda mobility and flexibility and using Garda resources to the best possible effect.

The closure of the Stepaside Garda station will not result in a loss of Gardai in the Stepaside area. The 34 Garda members currently stationed in Stepaside will be primarily based in Dundrum Garda Station with some also

stationed in Blackrock station. As a consequence of additional Gardai being freed up from desk duties, there will be an increase in the number available for frontline policing duties in the community, investigating,

detecting and preventing crime.

I recognise that some of my constituents in the Stepaside area are genuinely concerned at the pending closure. However, as Minister for Justice, it would be entirely wrong of me to second guess the Garda

Commissioner’s judgement and expertise is this matter. I have not done so in the context of Garda Stations to be closed in other parts of the country and neither will I do so in my own constituency.

Nationally, Garda station closures in 2013 will result in an extra 61,000 Garda patrol hours. The objective of consolidating our network of Garda stations is to ensure efficient and effective policing. Smart policing is

not simply about bricks and mortar. It is about community policing and the visible presence of Gardai on our streets. 39 Garda Stations around the country were closed in 2012 and as a result of this and other measures, 167 Gardai were freed up for frontline operational duties.

The Garda station closures in 2013, 100 in total, are the result of a comprehensive operational assessment carried out by Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan over the last 12 months.

It is important to put the consolidation of our Garda Stations into context. Up to this year, we had 703 Garda Stations and our Garda Station network was unchanged since the foundation of the State in 1922. This is

untenable in the 21st Century. Now, in 2013, the emphasis must be on efficient policing, making effective use of modern communications and transport and having the maximum number of Gardai out and about in our

communities engaging in frontline policing i.e. in crime prevention and crime detection. Following implementation of the announced consolidation of Garda stations, we will still have 564 Garda stations nationwide, which is substantially more than exist in comparative jurisdictions. For example,

there are presently 86 police stations in Northern Ireland with a population of 1.5 million people. Scotland, with a population of 5.2 million people, has 340 police stations.

Despite our financial difficulties, we were able, in 2012, to acquire 213 new Garda vehicles at a cost of €4 Million. I am very pleased that in 2013, a further €5m will be made available for the purchase of additional

Garda vehicles. The modernisation of the Garda fleet is a crucial part of ongoing reform.

The most recent Crime figures released by the Central Statistics Office (published in December last) show that crime has reduced across 12 out of 14 crime groups. However, burglary overall is again up, by 7.9%. In

response to the rise in burglaries, Operation Fiacla was set up by the Garda Commissioner early in 2012. The operation has been very successful and up to December 2012, has resulted in 3,538 arrests and 1,924 charges.

I am determined, as Minister for Justice, that the resources of our Garda Siochana are used in the best, most effective and efficient way possible.

I believe that we are fortunate to have, in Martin Callinan, an excellent Garda Commissioner who is doing a good job in bringing about the modernisation and reform of An Garda Siochana and I support him in his

work.