THE DÁIL HAS voted down a motion by Fianna Fáil to keep 95 garda stations open that are due to close today.
Opposition TDs in the Dáil yesterday slammed the closures saying it would leave people living in rural areas vulnerable and criticised the timing with the recent spate of aggravated burglaries against older people.
Justice Minister Alan Shatter had criticised Fianna Fáil, and in particular its leader Micheál Martin, for refusing to postpone the debate until after the funeral of the murdered Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe which took place yesterday.
During the debate, Independent TD Maureen O’Sullivan said the most significant way for the government to show its gratitude gardaí for the work they do is by ensuring they have adequate resources and enough personnel to do their work well.
Shatter has previously explained that many of the stations earmarked for closure are only open on a limited-hours basis and that keeping these stations open means gardaí are diverted from patrol duties.
98 of the 100 stations that were earmarked for closure over the course of the year are only open on a part-time basis, with 88 served by only one garda. 94 of the stations were ordinarily open for three hours a day or less.
Note: The stations are listed below in alphabetical order. Details of the stations to which their duties are being assigned can be accessed on the Garda website.
Five further stations will close later in 2013:
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